


Demon Begging

by SS98



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dark!Harry, Demon!Harry - Freeform, Dragons, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Haha I'm just kidding, Louis' a sci-fi chap, Louis' not an angel, M/M, Sci-Fi, Top!Harry, bottom!Louis, innocent!louis, insecure!louis, normal!louis, protective!harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-11
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-07 03:25:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 109,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3159446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SS98/pseuds/SS98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has existed for all things dark and forbidden. He survives because others don't. It's his way.<br/>Louis belongs to a world unknown to those who don't originate from it. No heart is more vulnerable than his. </p><p>They find each other and there's no stopping the inevitable. But there's something beyond the reality of their lives, threatening the purity of their relationship. </p><p> </p><p>  <i>Maybe love doesn't conquer all.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Momma!" Louis comes running down the stairs, half-dressed with a toothbrush in his mouth. It's his first day of Grade Ten, for the third time. 

"Yes, Lou?" Jay answers from the kitchen. 

It was Lottie's and Fizzie's first day in ninth and eleventh grade respectively. Phoebe and Daisy were heading straight into their art classes of second grade. Doris and Ernest shall be spending another year at daycare.   
Jay was glad she found a school that served all her needs, now there was only one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon. Well, two because Louis stayed in after school for extra tuition. 

"I can't find Spiderman." He comes into the kitchen pouting with foam dripping out the corner of his mouth. 

Jay knew he was referring to his T-shirt with Andrew Garfield masked as the famous superhero. He wore it customarily every year for his first day. "He's in the wash, sweetheart."

"Aw." His shoulders slump. 

"But it should be dry-"

"Yay!" He punches the air. "Can I go?"

Jay bites her bottom lip, the last time Louis did that he tripped and fell in their backyard. Had Daisy not gone out to look for - ironically enough - rose petals, they probably would have found him later that night. 

"I'll be careful." He says quietly, sensing his momma's hesitancy. 

"Alright. Be back in time for waffles."

"Promise!" He kisses her cheek and runs off. 

Little scamp he was. Jay loved her eldest son to bits and pieces, he was a gift from God to her. But, he was diagnosed all those years ago and now she had to battle with his health. 

He comes back in looking sheepish. "Momma?" He sniffles with red eyes and a broken toothbrush in his hand. 

She sighs and puts her hand on her hip. "What's wrong, Lou?"

He just raises his hand in response, to expose his elbow to her and reveal the bright red gash. 

"You fell?" 

His bottom lip quivers and he ducks his head as he cries. It really hurt when he tripped on Doris' outside dolly. 

"Aw, sweetheart." Fizzie makes an appearance from the living room and smiles at her brother. "Let's cover this up, yeah?"

Jay nods at her daughter and returns to her usual morning preparations. 

"So, Lou." Fizzie makes him sit while she opens the first aid kit. "Excited?"

"Yeah." He grins widely at his sister. "Ronny's not there anymore but he said I could make new friends."

Felicite is his favorite sister but he'd never tell anyone that. He loved Lottie but sometimes she would say no to watching cartoons with him or would eat the last pudding cup without sharing. Felicite always shared. 

"Oh? What about Niall?" She asks after Louis chooses the bright red band aid. He was a big boy now and didn't have to wear Spongebob ones anymore. The big kids at school didn't like them, they'd always try to pull them off his skin. 

"Niall's nice. I love him too."

"Not as nice as Ronny?"

Louis blushes. "Ronny made me cupcakes on my birthday. The red velvet ones, even!"

"I know, Lou." She laughs and drops his hand. "Go get dressed and come down."

"Okay!" He jumps off the stool and runs upstairs. 

Felicite sighs and takes up the stool Louis had occupied. "Spoke to his parents yet?"

"No." Jay gives her a helpless shrug. "They didn't know about Ronny also."

"Poor Lou. He honestly loved that guy. Was his best friend."

"Yeah. He doesn't know, does he?"

"I haven't said anything."

"Neither have I. Lou's too good for that."

Louis was doing his hair in the bathroom. He really didn't know how to use any of the stuff he'd seen in the stores these days so he asked his sisters. Lottie taught him how to use regular gel, and after four weeks of lessons he was able to form a decent quiff. Everyone was proud and Ernest finally stopped trying to ruin it with grabby hands. 

"Momma!" Louis yells from the top of the steps. 

"What, Lou?" He gets a faint answer. He knows Momma is busy but he _needed_ his favorite pencil with Monsters Inc. at the head.

***

"You bitch! What did you do?!" Harry storms out of the house, not a care in the world for the handyman who had to be called in last night to fix the hinge Harry kept snapping. 

"It's just a scratch, brother." Gemma rolls her eyes and slams his car's driver door. 

"It's not your fucking car, Gemma. Don't bloody touch it." He hisses, catching her eye and letting the anger show through his deep black orbs. 

She scoffs. "Then next time, don't lose at poker."

He could kill her. He really could and nobody would give a flying fucking pig about her. Demons weren't forbidden from killing each other, because that would defeat their all mighty evil intent. 

And that's why he grabs her arm, shoving her against the side of the car. 

"Careful, brother. Can't have the humans seeing us." She taunts him, allowing her eyes to turn black and reflect his.

"Fuck the humans and fuck you." He brushes past her and gets into his Jaguar. It was a flashy school to attend high school in, but whoever touched it will end up poked through a tree branch. 

Gemma cackles as she enters the house, about to demand breakfast from Anne who would ignore her and go have a nap. It was the Styles' family ritual. 

Harry hated that he had to go to high school this year. What was the fucking point? But he had to obey orders, an order that request he find someone worth turning. Isn't a challenge but he couldn't choose the wrong person. They had to be foolish and impressionable enough to listen to him like he's a God.   
He smirks at the thought. This could be fun for him.

***

"Louis William Tomlinson! Get your bum down here!" Lottie screams from the base of the stairs. 

Louis comes down, stumbling and giggling, with his brand new textbooks in his hand and backpack in the other. Jay could never handle going stationery shopping with the kids and watch Louis sadly trail along. It broke her heart and working as the manager of several successful beauty parlours, enabled her with the cash she needed. Dan was away in Scotland for a business trip as well. 

"Momma!" Louis calls to Jay while she stands just outside the door. 

"Louis!" She mimics his tone. 

"Lottie's being mean!"

"Lottie, leave your brother alone." She lightly scolds when they walk to the car. 

"He takes forever to pee!" She protests. "Why couldn't he go before breakfast?"

Lottie seems harsh but she loves her brother, though his tendencies sometimes grew old and would annoy. But she'd rather eat carbs than offend him. That's a joke, Lottie eats carbs all the time. 

"I didn't need to go before breakfast." Louis never raises his voice at his sisters directly. 

"No fighting. My head's paining." Jay sits in the driver's seat of the mini van they'd gifted the family a year ago. 

"Sorry, momma." Louis kisses her cheek and sits in his usual seat at the back. 

"Sorry, mom." Lottie does the same and takes her seat next to Louis. "Did you manage to finish your assignment, Lou?"

Louis didn't need to do the assessment that was assigned to all the ninth graders that would be transferring up this year. He just didn't want to feel different. 

"I did." He beams at her. "Wanna see it?"

"Sure." 

He pulls it out of the Hulk folder he ha treasured ever since his sisters got the last one in the store for him.   
She reads over every sentence on the project, proud to see that he did it all on his own but saddened that there wasn't much of an improvement from last year's assessment. His spelling was pitiful and his writing was of pre-school grading. 

"Well done, big bro." She smiles at him. "This has earned you an ice cream after school."

Louis blushes and grins. "Thank you. I know it's not the best but I tried and Momma always says trying is the best."

"That's right." 

"Do I get chocolate ice cream?" 

"Whatever you want."

"And the sugar cone too?" His big blue eyes light up. 

His eyes have always been something out of this world, it outshone anyone else's to his family. They all hoped somebody would fall in love with them and treat their Lou as he should be one day.

"What is ice cream without the sugar cone?" Lottie raises her eyebrow. 

Louis giggles as he always does whenever someone says something that would spark his secret interest. Like Niall when he would indiscreetly shove his chocolate bar towards Louis or when Liam borrowed a book under his own name for Louis to read during the weeks Lottie had his card. 

"Can we come?" Daisy turns in her seat to ask her older siblings. 

"Of course you can. Fizzy?" Lottie asks while Louis neatly puts his assignment back into the plastic sleeve and slotting it into the folder. 

"Fizzy! Please come." Louis hugs his sister as a form of temptation before she responds. "I'll share mine with you if you want to. But I really like chocolate so maybe the ice cream man can put two flavours? We'll ask!"

Fizzy laughs and nods. "I'll come, Lou. And you don't have to share."

"Sharing is caring. Right, Doris?" He gives his baby sister his finger to grip. She makes a tiny spit bubble with her lips before he carefully puts her pacifier back in place. 

"So what time do you kids finish today?" Jay asks as they pile out of the car. 

"Three. Louis?" Lottie shoves her beanie on. 

"Four. Sir wants me to stay in for Maths today." He tries to hide his small frown. 

It isn't like he doesn't try every year. It's just so hard. His lip quivers again, threatening to succumb to a depressed sob. He really tries, especially with Math and English because Sir and Mam are so nice to him all the time. 

"Alright, sweetie. See you all later then?" Jay waves at them as she drives off. 

"Bye!" Louis smiles and waves at her. 

"Bye, Lou." Daisy and Phoebe hug his knees before running off with their friends. 

Louis smiles, silently wishing that he had friends who would wait for him at the gate as well. That's usually where the mean kids cornered him, until his sisters walked with him and it stopped. The rest of the day he spent close to either Niall or Liam but even they had to leave sometime.   
Today was such a day. They were in a grade higher, which meant that they only had lunch together. 

"Later, Lou!" Lottie waves and runs off. 

"Want me to walk with you?" Fizzy keeps up with him, she likes to think that because it's really Louis trying to keep up with her. 

"Please?" The fear is already there, in his eyes. 

"What's your first class?"

"Afrikaans." Louis scowls at the pebbles under his feet. At home, in the garden, they'd play a game of Hot Lava where they never touched the grass and jumped from paving stone to table and back. 

"You like Afrikaans, don't you?" Living in South Africa had its disadvantages. They had to learn a language as their first additional. 

"No." He shakes his head. "Mrs. April is really nice, and her dresses are always pretty, but she talks loudly and gives us tests all the time."

"Don't you study for them?"

"I try! But I'm just stupid."

"Louis!" Fizzy wraps an arm over his shoulders. "You are certainly not stupid."

"I am! They always say I am."

"Who? Niall? Liam?"

"No, Fiz! Niall and Liam are really cool, they won't be mean to me. The bullies say that."

"Well then call for someone if they give you trouble, okay? Lou, look at me." She puts a hand on both of his shoulders. "Promise me?"

"I promise." He covers his hands with his sleeves and roughly wipes his eyes. "Love you." 

"Love you too, Boobear."

Louis' cheeks burn bright bright and he smiles shyly at the nickname he'd earned at a daycare when he and a another kid got into a brief wrestling match over a purple teddy bear. He felt bad immediately afterwards and offered the stuffed toy up to the boy, who smiled and took it. He later learned the boy's name, Ronny. 

"Woah." Fizzy's lips form a perfect 'O' as she whistles in a way Louis was told never to. 

"What is it?" He scans the lot. 

"There." She points toward a car that's just pulled up in a spot that's available. The driver gets out, frown as his expression and hands shoved into his pockets. 

"Who drives a Jaguar to school?"


	2. Chapter 2

Louis spent a fair amount of time that morning admiring the new automobile with a renowned label and mysterious owner. The boy who was much bigger than Louis, hadn't looked at anyone as he strode past the school gates into the yard. Louis thought he was pretty, he had a long trench coat on like the one Louis used to use to make indoor tents. He may have gotten a few odd looks from passing students when he blushed at the memory. 

Afrikaans went well, the teacher seemed to have turned a new leaf and no longer made Louis sad like she used to. They did the usual Language section before being dismissed. Niall caught Louis on his way to Accounting. 

"Hey, Lou." Niall gives his close friend a hug. 

"Nialler!" Louis kisses his cheek, the nickname arose from first grade when Niall and he met at the tuck shop. 

"Where you headed to?" 

"Accounting." Louis frowned. Numbers were a weakness, he was never good at them and didn't understood why. 

"Don't be sad, Lou. Everyone hates Accounting."

That just made Louis feel worse. "I took the subject because I thought I could help Momma, but all I ever do is need help myself."

"I could help you if you want."

Louis giggles and somewhere down the coridoor Harry's ears prick. "But Nialler, you are bad at it too."

"Then we'll just be bad at it together and grab some lunch later, okay?"

"Okay. Not today though." Louis sniffs and pinches the strap of his bag. "I promised to get ice cream after school with Lottie. I asked Fizzy and she said okay then the twins wanted to come too."

Niall smiles fondly at Louis' rambling. "I meant lunch break today, Lou."

"Oh." Louis turns pink. He does that often. "I'd love to."

"It's a date!" Niall pecks his cheek before running down the hall, leaving Louis to ponder over what just happened. 

Not two doors away Harry is leaning against a set of lockers, blocking someone's way or preventing a student from opening their cubicle. He watches the new boy. It was Harry who's new, but due to a rather uncalled for disagreement in the school yard he has already confirmed his spot in the social hierarchy.   
Louis didn't notice him, and that bothered Harry just a tad. The smaller boy smiled a lot, and he blushed at _fucking_ everything so Harry's urge to watch the boy's reaction to seeing him was understandable. Not that Harry would reveal his true form, he'd never do that. 

Louis was walking towards him, but wasn't headed for him exactly. So he stood there and watched while Louis stopped at the locker two down from this one. He was balancing his folder that was ridiculously cartoon-ish in one hand, and the bag with an inhaler in the other. Harry scanned the small boy's frame, examining the Marvel T-shirt and skinny jeans that were folded at the ankles.   
Harry licked his lips involuntarily before biting his lower one. He wanted to know this boy's name. 

"Hello?" Harry's gruff tone rings out rudely. 

Louis turns to him, the usual shock or fear absent in his eyes as he smiles. "Hi."

"You are?" Harry was direct, at all times.

"I'm Louis William Tomlinson." He replies, voice too high-pitched and smiled too bright. Harry would hate him if the features didn't intrigue him. "What's your name?"

"Harry." 

Louis frowns and Harry chuckles. "What?"

"You're supposed to say your full name." He states brightly. "It's how I know you're not lying to me."

"Why would I lie?" Harry may or may not have taken a step forward, drawn into Louis' powerful scent of weak will and strong innocence. 

"Stranger danger." He shrugs his shoulders. "Momma told me to always know who I'm talking to."

This made Harry tilt his head to the side, overhwhelmingly curious about this boy who was speaking like a two-year-old in high school. 

"So what's your name?" Louis giggles when he asks again. Harry admired the bravery in this boy, because not many people spent time talking to him. 

"Harry Edward Styles."

"Oh!" Louis chirps. "Like a secret agent."

Harry laughs and ignores the cold glares he receives. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Louis frowns. "Won't you tell me?"

"I don't know if you're an agent too, Lou. Could be my enemy."

Louis gasps. "I'm not your enemy!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Ah-huh." Louis nods with finality before holding out his hand. "Friends?"

"Do you really want to be my friend?"

"You're nice and I like you. I can be friends with whoever I want." 

"Clever." Harry shakes Louis' hand. "I think friends should have nicknames."

"Really?" If Harry thought Louis' eyes were bright before, they're simply sparkling now. 

"Of course."

"Can I call you.......Haz?"

Harry was impressed. "You may."

"What about Harold?"

Harry snorts. "You may not."

"Harold it is!" Louis grins and giggles loudly. "What are you gonna call me?"

Harry tries not to laugh. "How about Lou?"

"Everyone calls me Lou."

"Then.....baby?" 

Harry steps closer and Louis is thrown off course. His eyes dart to the wall behind Harry and he clutches his books tighter. _Good,_ Harry thinks. Maybe he can seal the deal now and leave this hellhole before anything got too tough. 

"B-Baby?" Louis stammers, back pressed flush against the lockers and Harry's face centimeters from his. He smelt of a strong cologne and the paper plane necklace was dangling from his chest. 

"Yes. Baby." Harry puts a hand on the metal beside Louis' head. 

"C-Could you try something else? Please."

"Don't you like the name?"

Louis shakes his head as a group of girls walk past. 

"Okay then." Harry unexpectedly draws back to stand on his heels. "We'll figure it out together."

And just like that, Louis is back to his childish self. "Deal."

The bell rings and Harry sighs loudly, what was he going to do for another forty-five empty minutes? Louis didn't strike him as a boy who would bunk anything.

"Don't you have class too?" Louis asks after hastily piling the required books into his bag. 

"I do. English or something." 

Louis laughs. "What grade?"

"Twelfth."

"Oh." He frowns. 

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not supposed to hang out with kids bigger than me except Niall and Liam."

"Why not?" Louis' started walking towards his class and Harry follows. 

"Because Momma says that the big kids only pretend to be my friend." He sniffs as if this three minute conversation has meant more to him than an actual relationship. 

"Do you think I'm one of those kids?"

"I-I don't know." Louis spots his classroom door and hurries toward it. 

Harry keeps up effortlessly. "Can I try to prove you wrong?"

Louis smiles politely but shakes his head vigorously. 

"Aw, Lou." Harry smiles his signature smirk with a custom edge for Louis, whose cheeks turn pink and Harry thinks he's found a reason to exist. 

Louis shakes his head again, his books stay hugged to his chest and Harry fears that he could be bruising. 

"Let me carry those for you." Harry grabs the book's corners. 

"What? No." Louis pulls them back. "I-I mean, no thank you."

"I'm not going to bully you, Louis."

"Maybe not you but other kids still will. My teacher's here, I have to go."

Harry let's him scurry down the marble-floored hall and pass a set of double doors. He contemplates waiting here for his class to let out but decides better of it, and goes in search of Miss Swift. The woman could not be more obvious in her sexual tension, but then again demons had the nature of sensing all weaknesses. It's what made Louis so prone to Harry, because he was full of purities that Harry wanted to squash. 

Forty-five minutes later, after Louis is successfully distracted in class and planning to make ane extra effort this year by joining a book club, he leaves the classroom. One more period for lunch break and his date with Niall. It wasn't romantic - it was a lunch meet up for the two friends - but Louis' never gotten to experience romance except for those movies that Momma skips certain parts of. 

On his way to his locker, going to switch out his Accounting books for Math with his favorite teacher, Louis collides with a strong shoulder. 

"S-Sorry." He stammers and hurries off without looking at the person's face. And here he was thinking today was going to be a good one. 

He empties his bag and fishes out his inhaler, feeling his trachea closing in on him and takes a deep puff of it. It loosens up and he relaxes for a bit, fingers curled around the door of his locker. 

His backpack is grabbed, yanked backward and forced back forward so that he slides into the long locker. It wasn't smooth and he hits his head against the metal, his cry goes unnoticed and his inhaler slips from his hold. He can't see it when the locker door is slammed shut. He bangs on it with his fists, afraid of the dark and feeling claustrophobic. 

"Let me out!" He is sure he cut himself. "Please!"

But the bell goes and people clear out from the halls. Louis cries, tears everywhere as his sobs echo through the halls. Why couldn't he just be normal? Nobody would pick on him then. 

Harry stumbles out of the bathroom, tripping on the fucking door-stopper. He is about to curse at it in vengeance when another sound stops him. Crying? Who is crying?

A familiar and unfriendly smile covers his face, marking his lips with a vicious smirk. His eyes turn black, coating all the whiteness as he stalks toward the sound. 

_No,_ he thinks. It's familiar. The green clouds over the darkness in his soul that peeks out through his pupils. He jogs now, wanting to get closer to it quickly. 

A whimper comes from one of the lockers and Harry's anger flares along with his nostrils. That's Louis' locker. He approaches it, unable to see through the three gaps at the top. 

"Louis?" He calls. 

"P-Please get-t me o-out. It's d-dark in here and I-I lost my in-inhaler." The voice returns. Louis. 

This goes against Harry's nature. He isn't nice. He destroys, pilages, wrecks, abuses, rips, hates and ruins. That what he does, it's who he will always be. But thinking about Louis being stuck in there triggers something in Harry and he asks Louis for the combination. 

"I-I don't remem-em-ember. Please, j-just get me out!" 

Harry had a choice, to either let Louis be by himself in there and taunt him or like a good Samaritan get the door open. Seemed hard enough. 

Picking up on nobody else's scent in the hallway, he grabs the locker latch and pries it open with inhuman strangth - granted to him by the depths of Hell. The door unhooks from its hinges and flies across the floor to collide with someone else's. 

What astounds Harry is Louis' reaction. He scrambles out of the cramped space and lunges at Harry. If Harry's arms didn't open for the embrace, they'd both have fallen over.   
Harry places his hands tentatively on Louis' back and rubbed awkwardly. He'd never done this before, comfort is a sore spot for him. 

"You good?" Harry pulls Louis away from his chest and the much smaller boy sucks in a deep breath. If anyone could see the fear in his eyes - and anyone could - it would be ever so cruel to abandon him now. 

But, Harry wasn't _anyone_. He was Harry Styles, and that's why he felt absolutely remorse walking away before the shaking boy could respond. 

_**[A/N: Is anyone reading? Is this story good or.......nah? PLEASE put my mind at ease and tell me :(]** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any notes posted here are intended for Wattpad so :) don't get confuseddddd xx

_Chaos is an angel who fell in love with a demon._

"Lou? You okay?" Niall caught Louis sitting on a swing in the playground during their break. It wasn't restricted for kids their age, but it also wasn't customary for anyone of that group to visit. Louis did whenever he was sad. 

"Yeah." He shrugs his shoulders with a heavy sigh. "Just tired."

"The day's not half done yet, Louis. What's gotten you so upset?" He offers Louis an apple and the boy takes it happily. He loves Pink Lady apples. 

"Someone pushed me in a locker." He notes that his fingers are trembling as he mindlessly tries to peel the apple. 

"Oh, Lou! I'm sorry." He stands behind the boy and wraps his arms around his shoulders in a comforting gesture. 

"The new boy.....he helped me." Louis spoke in a small voice. 

"New kid? We have a new kid?"

Louis laughed brokenly at Niall's ignorance of everything unconcerned with junk food and football. "Yes, Nialler! His name's......."

"His name's?"

"His name is Harry."

"Oh! The Jaguar kid."

Louis nods once, feeling that the air is too thick and this atmosphere serves to be hostile. 

"He's a bad one, right rotten apple."

Louis let's out a peep when he hears Niall's analogy. "Why?"

"Just is. Heard the stories about him?" Niall knew it was probably not the wisestt decision to let little Lou here in on some of the rambling gossip. 

Louis shook his head but widened his eyes. He wanted to know. 

"Probably shouldn't say. A lot worse than PG 13, love." Niall snickered. 

"Aw, Niall! Pretty please?"

"Make me brownies?"

Louis' brownies were poop and a waste of funds, but he loved trying every time and no one had the heart to let him down. "Yes!"

"Well alright." Niall gives Louis' swing a light shove and he giggles before settling back on the ground. "All I know is the guy shouldn't even be in high school."

"Why? Is he old?"

"Twenty-something but he's also a ruffian, that one. Fights for fun and all that."

"He's my friend." Louis frowns. 

"Stay away from that one, mate. Promise me?"

"But Nialler-"

"Lou. Promise me?"

"Louis?" A gravelly, low-throat voice calls to the boy from an awkard stance at the entrance of the pre-school section. 

Both heads - blond and brunette - snap up and Louis may have felt a knot in his neck. Niall doesn't react the way he usually does to bullies or threats, his shoulders remain slumped and his eyes stay on the grains of dust beneath his shoes. 

"Could I talk to you?" Harry has no bag in his hand and Louis wonders where it is. 

Does he carry one? Louis fidgets with his fingers for a brief moment before standing and walking up to the exceedingly tall figure. "Y-Yes?"

Louis remembered the claustrophic choking sensation he felt confined within that sinfully small locker. He shuffles awkwardly from foot to foot without looking up. 

Harry sighed, running his hand through his carefully handled hair. "Earlier today......I shouldn't have left you there."

Harry was trying to spit out an apology but it didn't seem right - wrong? - enough. He was a demon, looking for someone to carry his seed before dying. According to his nature, there shouldn't exist an impulse to apologise or feel guilty. It wasn't normal. 

"It's okay." Louis smiled shyly. "People don't always want to be around me when I'm like that."

"Like what?"

Louis looks up then glances back to Niall who isn't disrupting their conversation yet. "When I'm scared. They say it's stupid."

"Who?" Harry was curious. Who dare tell this little boy his fears were stupid?

Louis shrugs. "Break is over."

Harry didn't care. "Let me make this up to you."

Louis shakes his head vigorously and turns away. "Don't feel bad for me. You don't have to like me."

"No, Louis." Harry has to reach out and grab Louis' arm to keep him from leaving. "I'm serious."

"W-Wha-Why?"

Niall stands and decides that he's waited too long. Louis' eyes fill with confusion and nervousness. Harry smirks coolly. "Because I do like you."

Louis would be an exceptional candidate to carry his seed. Harry examines to petite and slightly chubby body of this young boy. He's perfect and Harry would _kill_ to own him. 

"I'm not-"

"You don't have to be anything. Done, Lou?" Niall steps between them and separates their hold. Harry glares at the intrusion, eyeing Louis' reddened skin. 

"Y-Yeah." Louis stutters and Harry loves it. The smaller of the two hurries off with his mate in shock and wonder. 

Harry follows them with his eyes until they've disappeared into the safety of the school building. He bites his lip in thought. Maybe his attraction to little Louis stems from the possibility of him carrying Harry's child. He was healthy, and seems oblivious enough to be easily influenced. Harry smirked smugly. 

He would need to get Louis alone first. How will he when that blond twat keeps showing up? He conjures up a plan while walking to the cafeteria, hoping to find Louis in the crowd. 

They're seated at a table near the window, Harry watches on as Louis laughs at a joke Niall tells him. He's hushed rather rudely by a fellow student at the neighbouring table, and Harry narrows his eyes. Louis' smile drops, looking away after muttering several apologies and Harry's hatred flares for this new individual. 

Harry looks for an available seat anywhere before deciding that he'd rather sit alone by his car. He wasn't hungry yet, so he'd wait to get back to the disaster he called home for every intense purposes. 

Louis catches his eye on the way out, and Harry drops a wink at him indiscreetly. Harry caught the scent of excess testosterone and sweat coming from that table and it made him smirk proudly. Maybe his task would prove to be easier than before. 

Harry's natural physical features were meant to be hidden from humans, so as not to threaten their tasks of finding a mate or a carrier of their unborn young. Yes, it worked in that twisted way. The mate of a demon would never bear the demon's child, it would be a weakness and deplete their health resources. The carrier, however, would carry only one child of the demon and die giving birth.   
Harry didn't want a mate, and finding a carrier was compulsory upon every demon. His horns and tail were twitching irritatingly in their masked states, and Harry had to endure the itch until he was safely hidden. 

Ten minutes later, Harry sat in his car thinking about what he could do to spice up today. It had been boring and totally against his ordinary methods of survival. Something had to be done. 

Louis wouldn't entertain any of Harry's wayward fantasies, the kid was too vulnerable to be taken advantage of so soon. Harry didn't want to drag it out either, so he'd wait for a bit before pouncing.   
He'd have to find out if there were any parties this weekend because that's as long as Harry's willing to wait. Five days is all it would be, before Harry was forced to corner the younger lad in a bathroom stall or janitor's closet. 

Harry steps out of his too-grand vehicle and leans against the hood, lighting up a joint from his pocket. He enjoyed inhaling the smoke that would loosen his joints and turn his thoughts to mush. He didn't regret anything that way. 

Someone whistles before Harry's too far gone. "Nice car, mate."

It's a well-tanned and dark-haired boy with ripped jeans and sunken cheeks. He had no class or dignity, and Harry liked him immediately. "Thanks."

"What is it? F-Type S?"

Harry snorts. "V8 S, actually. 2014 model."

He reaches out to tap the solid hood. Harry let's him. "Must have cost you your arse."

"A little more than that."

"I'm Zayn." The boy extends his boney hand to be shaken. 

Harry takes another drag of the cigarette and ignores the offer. "Harry. You know your cars?"

"Eh." He shrugs. "Dad owns a garage."

Harry nods. 

"Anyone come up to you yet?"

"For?"

"A spin." He chuckles. "They'd definitely want one in this beauty."

Harry laughs and counts his sixth puff of swirling smoke. "Wouldn't let 'em."

"Any girls interested? Know that the girls from this school will do anything for a lay in a good ride."

"Don't swing that way, mate." Harry eyes him when Zayn leans beside him against the car door. 

"Oh? Any lads then?"

The lad Harry _needed_ to be interested, just plainly wasn't. "None important."

"I see you got your eye on someone. Name? Maybe I know 'em."

"Louis Tomlinson."

Zayn's coughing irritates Harry, and he wants to burn Zayn with the cigarette that has at most two breaths left in it. "The baby kid?!"

"Baby kid?" Harry frowns and his tail shifts in his jeans. He presses it against the window and ignores the pinch that ensues. 

"Yeah. Got some thing that's wrong with him, the kid's like twenty but he acts as if he's five."

"What's wrong with him?"

Zayn snorts. "Don't know. You're the one with the fascination, ask him."

Harry suddenly wanted to beat this guy to an irretrievable pulp. "Fuck off."

"Hey, I was warning you. He's the virgin Mary of this place. Everyone gave up trying to get into his pants when we saw the Powerpuff underwear."

"We? You tried too?" Harry's voice was husky and dark. He didn't appreciate knowing someone else tried touching _his_ Carrier. 

Demons were possessive over their Carriers but nowhere near what they got like when their mate's were threatened. It was an Alpha/Omega relationship because the mate would be a human changed by a demon. Not every demon found a mate either. 

"Thought I'd try. He just blushes like some retarded homo- Speak of the infant!" Zayn laughs, nudging his chin in the general direction of the cafeteria door that led out onto the lawn near the car park. 

Louis walked out with Niall and another taller, dark-haired boy who looked far more intimidating than the leprechaun. Nothing Harry couldn't cut short, but he didn't plan on starting any fights now because he had a feeling those made Louis cry.   
The smaller boy seemed to have sensed he was being thought about and looked up from the calculator in his hands. The device fell from his grasp when Harry smirked and waved slightly. Louis turned pink before picking up the fallen object, Harry got to see the curve below his hips and it made him salivate. 

Louis was petite but he packed every feminine curve that made any guy stiff in the groin. He made Harry _want_ him so no one else could have him. Yes, that sounded like a plan.


	4. Chapter 4

_Run away with me until they stop searching._

"Lou!" Daisy whines for her older brother. 

He adored her and could never deny any request that fell from her lips. "Daisy!"

"Abba me." She makes grabby hands in the air. The term was decided upon when Louis couldn't pronounce 'carry' so resorted to 'abba'. 

He lifts her off the ground and let's her ride piggy-back for the walk home. Everyone's finished their ice creams three pine trees away - if Louis counted correctly - and were now strolling towards their street. 

"What's that?" Lottie points to the alley between two buildings, a spot near their left that they've never covered before. 

"Momma said we shouldn't go down there." Louis replies, though he could make out two figures and one looked familiar from just the physique. 

"Come on." She ushers the family along because they couldn't risk being noticed. 

Louis obeys and carries Daisy back to the house that's not more than two blocks away. Of course their mom's not home when they get there because she had a meeting today. 

"Who's cooking dinner?" Lottie asks. 

"Not it!" Louis shouts before running upstairs and is soon followed by the other siblings. 

"Fine! Eat cereal for all I care." Lottie vents and they giggle upstairs. 

Louis dumps his bag on his bed then frowns and picks it up, and places it at his feet by his desk. If he got a headstart on his homework then he could make it for the dinner that Lottie orders. 

Math first. Math is always first. He opens up the section on Parabolic functions and gets to work. Five minutes later he kicks off his shoes and folds his legs under himself on his chair. 

"Lou?!" Lottie shouts from downstairs. 

"Yes?" 

"Pizza's here."

 _What?_ Louis looks at the time and realises he's been at it for over an hour. He sighs in defeat and answers Lottie. "Coming!"

He showers because nobody's using it and it would be wise to do so before his parents got home. After a thorough wash he goes downstairs to join everyone in the lounge for soda and pizza. 

"So, Lou." Daisy rests on his lap. "How was school?"

Louis blushes immediately because it made him think about the new student. "I made a new friend."

"Oh really?" Lottie questions. "Who?"

"Actually, the new boy with the Jag."

Lottie coughs. 

"What's wrong?"

"His name's Harry?"

"Yeah!" Louis beams at the mention of his newest friend. 

"He's in twelfth grade, Lou."

"I know." His good mood is subdued, and he looks down at his plate. 

"I'm sorry, Lou." She pats his lap and pulls him into a side hug. "We do this for you."

"I know." He rests his head on her shoulder. 

"I won't tell mom."

"Thank you."

"Won't tell mom what?" Daisy interrupts. 

"Nothing." Louis sighs sadly and gets up to dispose of his paper plate. "Goodnight."

"Night, Lou." Daisy waves at his back as he trudges upstairs. 

He awakens at 01h45 to restart his incomplete homework. He's been asleep for six hours and he's groggy but he could never imagine going to class without homework to hand in. Also, today was the day he had to tell Harry he couldn't be friends with him. That broke Louis' heart. 

He's finally done by 05h56 and is left with an hour to fool around before needing to get ready for school. He sits with his Legos that he's owned since he's first Christmas. It was the Bob The Builder edition and he was quite proud of the products he's produced. 

He starts to feel cold and suspects it's because of his bare feet. He pulls his blanket down around him on the floor and continues to build until his bridge is masterfully completed. 

"Lou!" There's a heavy banging on his door that makes Louis jump. 

"Yeah?"

"Yes!" His mother corrects. 

"Yes?" He giggles. 

"Go shower, love." He knows she's rolling her eyes. "Before the girls wake up."

He follows orders and takes his blue toothbrush in with him to shower. Afterwards, he chooses black chinos and a navy T-shirt that Lottie bought for him just because. His Vans are little higher than usual because he's already short and didn't need flat shoes. 

"Ready." He announces when he walks into the kitchen.

"Good. Here's your breakfast." She gives him Muesli and yogurt. His favorite. 

"Thanks, Momma." He hugs her when she turns around and she hugs him back as best as she can. 

"Goodmorning." Lottie stretches as she enters. 

"What she said." Daisy walks in as well with a huge smile. 

"Breakfast. Bags. Let's go." Their mom orders because they're late and couldn't default. 

"We didn't eat breakfast yet." Lottie whines. 

"In the car. Come on." Their mom pinches the shoulders of their shirts and directs them all to the door. 

They squeeze in the back and Louis is in the middle. Lottie forgot to take the front seat and is now on everyone's laps. 

"Lottie!" Louis complains.

"What, Lou?"

"Your bum's in my face."

"Don't put your face by my bum then."

Everyone laughs except Louis because Lottie's bum is really in his face and making him uncomfortable. They get to school and he all but jumps out of the car onto the pavement with his bag tagging along. He straightens his shirt and pulls it over his pudgey tummy that he secretly liked about himself but knew no one else did. 

"Have a good day!" His mom waves at them through her window before driving off. 

"We've got.....fifteen minutes before the first period." Lottie says to him after they've left the twins at the primary section. 

"We can just wait outside." Louis says. "Or you can go. I'll be fine."

"Mind if I stay?"

"No." They sit on the front steps towards the corner. 

"So what should we do after school?"

"Frozen yogurt!"

"Really, Lou?"

"What?" He saddens. 

"Alright. Oh look." She says, gazing across the yard into the parking lot. 

Harry had just pulled into the lot with his just as expensive Jaguar, and lazily parked between two spots. Louis thought that was mean and frowned. Maybe today's mission wasn't so depressing. 

"I'll be back." Louis stands and Lottie grabs his arm. 

"Lou, no."

"I'll be okay." He smiles at her before walking across the pavement. 

Lottie paces at the base of the steps and tries not to watch but she _knows_ this won't end well and Louis will cry. She didn't want that but maybe it's best it happen now. Maybe. 

Louis sobers his steps as he approaches Harry, books clutched tightly in his hands and his backpack hangs heavily on his shoulders. He always wore the straps on both because his mom said he'd get a bad back otherwise. 

"Lou." Harry grins at him. He's wearing a beanie that hides his curls and sunglasses that sometimes reflected the light into Louis' eyes. 

"H-Hi, Harry." Louis tries to remember if he packed his calculator today.

"Got your calculator today?" 

"How'd you know I was thinking about that?" Louis' eyes widen in surprise. 

Harry smirks in amusement. "I didn't."

"Oh." Louis bites his lip and Harry stares. "Harry?"

"Yeah, Louis?"

"I....." Louis swallows. "I can't be your friend."

Harry frowns. "Why not?"

"B-Because you're-"

"In twelfth grade?"

Louis nods. 

"Okay. Fine." Harry shrugs. 

Louis frowns because he doesn't understand. Didn't Harry have questions? Or want to fight for him? Louis thought he would. It would have been nice if did. 

"But......-"

"No need to harp on it." Harry snaps. 

He was aggravated by the fact that he couldn't have Louis, and he didn't have time to keep pining - if one could call it that - after him. He needed to find another potential Carrier so his job here would be done. 

Louis bit his lip. He was close to tears, but he wouldn't cry until he got to Lottie. "S-Sorry."  
He hurries off in the direction of his sister and she looks at him sympathatically. 

"Lou." She hugs him. "What'd he say to you?"

"Nothing." He sniffs. 

Harry could hear every word and he listened closely to the voice of Louis that was raw with tears and choked with slight sobs. He clenched his jaw and dug the key to his car into his palm. He really _wasn't_ supposed to be so affected.

"But that's what made me sad." Louis says into her shoulder. "It was like he never wanted to be my friend."

And Harry wanted to scream across the lot to contradict that, even dodge the glare Lottie was throwing him. 

"Oh Lou. Don't bother with him." She says and it's time for Harry to glare at her.   
He's appreciative of his black glasses, or else everyone passing would see the glowing gold of his pupils. 

"Niall's still your friend, yeah?" Lottie bumps Louis' hip. 

"Yeah." He brightens up a little. 

"There you go. And you've got Liam."

"I do." Louis blushes. 

Harry sees black and red, because Louis was blushing for someone other than him. He slams his car door shut and strides across the space to the two siblings. 

"Louis, can I talk to you?" He says, he'd have to wing his way through the rest of the conversation. 

"I uh-" The bell rings and saves Louis from having to awkwardly turn Harry down. "S-Sorry."

Louis rushes toward the front doors and enters, Lottie on his tail. He'd heard two apologies from Louis today and neither were arousing, like he's used to. Harry wants Louis again, because he didn't expect Louis to already moving on.

"Hey, Haz." Zayn greets him. 

"Zayn." Harry stares at the swinging door. 

"What's up?"

"The Louis guy." Harry says. "Tell me about him. Everything."

"Louis? The kid?"

Harry leans against the pillar that has photographs of every principal this school has had since its establishment. He nods. 

"He's sick."

Harry's growl goes unheard by the druggie. 

"No, man. He's literally a kid. He's got this condition or something. Why? You interested?" He offers Harry a cigarette. 

"Maybe." 

"Wasting your time, mate. Kid doesn't even have a cellphone."

Harry laughs. 

"He doesn't get bullied though. Everyone just leaves him alone. Wait man, you gay?"

"You aren't?" Harry mocks. "I see you looking at the Liam boy from eleventh grade. Thought I'd tell you, he isn't edible."

Zayn punches Harry's arm and he isn't okay with that, but these humans didn't know who - or what - Harry was. 

"Fuck you." Zayn chuckles. "You're after the one guy who will never let you in his pants."

"Put your money where your mouth is, wanker."

"Oh no. I'm already broke."

"Coward."

Zayn raises his hands in defense. "Guilty. But if you really want that Tomlinson boy, then you should try the library during breaks or the football field."

 _Tomlinson._ Harry had a fetish over Louis' name because it suited the small, vulnerable individual so well. Harry wanted to wrap him up and keep him forever, and at the same time completely wreck him. He'd have to take this a step at a time because Louis already said they couldn't be friends. 

Harry decides that he _really_ wants Louis Tomlinson.


	5. Chapter 5

**_[A/N: Kudos to KingCommenter for asking for an update :D I'd (almost) forgotten about this story. Lack of inspiration and scattered thoughts have hit me really hard in terms of my stories and I never want to force out a chapter when it's not ready. You guys keep me and this going so thank you :) xx - S]_ **

***NARRATOR'S POV* (the best kind of POV, honestly)**

Louis went about his day as usual. His mind and will-power refused to let Harry's rejection fester within him. He wanted to move on, he had enough friends for a healthy high school life.   
Why Harry approached him after their depressing talk was beyond him though, and only a small portion of his curiosity was willing to find out why. 

Just before lunch, Louis went to his locker to swap out his books and unintentionally ended up dropping them all. He hated when that happened because it saddened him to see the creases on the pages, or dog-ears at the corners. As much as it was weird, he loved his stuff and made an effort to take care of them. 

Bending over and stretching many dormant muscles, he picks each text book up neatly. He's startled by a voice that seems to coming from behind him. 

"You shouldn't do that here." It _of course_ had to Harry. 

Louis flushed from head to toe and hurried to put his things away. "W-What?"

"Bend over." Harry's eyes were dark but the sunglasses hid them well. 

When Harry didn't walk away, Louis contemplated going to lunch with all the books in hand. 

"Louis." Harry starts. 

Louis didn't like people starting a conversation in that tone. It was dry and forced. It made his bottom lip quiver and he bit down on it. 

"Lou, I'm sorry for this morning."

"I-It's fine." Louis pushes his reading glasses further up the bridge of his nose - he'd never admit that he thought they looked pretty and his eyes itched when he didn't have them on. 

"No, Lou. It isn't." 

Harry had spent the entire first three periods in the parking lot, away from all the desperate students and teachers. Even though he wasn't ready - and unwilling - to put too much effort into winning Louis back, he was prepared to try _something._

"H-Harry, we can't be friends-"

"I don't want to be friends." Harry cuts him off just as he realises his foolproof plan. 

He takes one large stride to get closer to the smaller lad, who is caught between him and the lockers. Louis' eyes dart everywhere nervously and he squeezes his eyes shut as if preparing for a hit. Harry frowns but ignores the blossoming feeling in his chest. 

He reaches up with his large hand, caressing Louis' cheek and jaw line. Harry noticed how they were slightly hollow and the bones were defined in a way that was positively lethal for a creature like him. He thumbed lightly at the skin below Louis' eyes, the tiny boy's lashes framed them so well. 

Harry had waited all fucking day for this and he knows he has less than twelve minutes for the bell to go again. He hears the abrupt ruckus of a corrupt bunch of idiots down the hall and growls with a lilt of possessiveness. He remembers what Zayn said about nobody bothering Louis, but that didn't mean it made him any less protective. 

_Wait. What?_

Harry stiffens and so does his hand on Louis' throat. He leans forward, close enough to get a whiff of Louis' scent because _it can't be._

But the monster who made him had other plans. Harry whimpered at Louis' true scent that only he could pick up from being this close to him. He pressed him body fluh against Louis' and the smaller boy blinked up at him in fear. 

"No." Harry breathed. Over and over again in a mantra because he didn't want this. He didn't need this.   
But this was always chosen for them. 

"Harry. You're scaring me." Louis' voice trembles and it makes Harry livid because that's not how it works. 

A demon has one purpose but more than one destiny. There was no end for them, each generation something new would be instore for them. His purpose was to find a Carrier. His destiny was to fall in love. 

His love was chosen for him, as it always is in every fucked up story out there. Harry lusted after Louis because the boy was small and perfect to carry his seed, his spawn. But not anymore, a demon's mate can't carry his child because offspring meant death to the bearer. 

Harry noticed that he was stuck in his head while Louis was squirming and shifting about wanting to escape this invasion of personal space. Apparently, Harry would have none of that. 

"Lou." Harry nuzzles Louis' neck. "I don't want to be friends."

And that's when Louis started to cry. Harry had forgotten the state of Louis' mind, it was that of a child who didn't need Harry to keep repeating the fact that he didn't want to be friends. 

"No. No, my only. Don't cry." Harry brushed the tears away with his thumbs. 

Harry was now puty in Louis' hands. Everything the younger boy wanted from Harry, was his. Louis didn't hear Harry's endearment. 

"More, Louis." Harry stared at Louis' lips. "I want more with you."

Louis hadn't spoken and his throat was closing in on him. He needed to calm down because crying always brought on an attack if he didn't have someone to comfort him.   
He started taking deep breaths and leaning against the coolness of the lockers but Harry didn't like that Louis wasn't paying attention to him. 

Louis could focus on only one thing at a time, it's the way his developing mind works. His tummy growled from hunger and his head hurt a little from crying twice today. Harry had asked for more and Louis still had no idea what more meant. Harry didn't want to be friends, and Louis can't be. So what was more?

"Lou? Tell me what's wrong, babe." Harry encourages by nudging the side of Louis' face. 

Louis felt it creeping up on him. It was like a tidal wave and he's only experienced it once before - he landed in hospital. 

"H-Hot." He stuttered out as his skin started to prickle with heat. 

Harry was capable of many things, regulating his own body temperature was one of them. So he literally cooled himself down before embracing Louis. The boy was stunned but his eyelids were drooping from exhaustion and the heat wave of the coast has not been anything desirable. 

Harry snuck his hands under the tail of Louis' shirt to rest on his bare skin that was soft and felt like home. When he felt Louis calm down, he pulled back hoping they could resume their conversation. 

"Better?" Harry moves Louis' hair away from his eyes. Harry had a recently developed fetish for Louis' eyes. They could melt anything with their beauty and it wasn't fair that Louis was oblivious to their power. 

Louis nods and blushes. Harry smiles at the latter bit fondly because he'd found his love today, his other half, his mate, his only. Mates make demons happy, as does the rule apply to all species except demons don't get happiness. They get darkness and cruelty even to their families. They beat and kill and curse without batting an eye. It's in their blood, it's what they were. 

Then their mate comes along. Whoever - or whatever - it was that weakened their race with the mention of a mate for each unholy creature, should be killed and caressed. Most - like Harry - didn't want a mate. But when they inevitably found theirs, they would become whatever their mates wanted. They lived to protect and love their mates. _That_ becomes who they are. 

Harry had a right mind for not wanting a mate because a demon had two options: make them a demon too, or watch them die. 

It was Harry's turn to shiver and he released Louis without stepping back. Louis looked up at him with the most innocent look in his eye and Harry wanted to curl up around him forever. 

"Harry, we can't." Louis is letting off vibes of raw fear. 

There was always the scenario of a mate rejecting the demon. It happened, and the demon population suffered because they refused to go on without their companions. 

"Mommy says kids older than me are always mean and Lottie will be angry. Harry, I don't want them to be angry with me. Mommy said I could have a phone if-"

"Can I kiss you?" Harry was sudden and he couldn't help himself. 

Louis was matching the red brick above them. "Why?"

"Because I want to. I'm not afraid of anyone, Lou." Harry laces their fingers together because Louis' hands were tiny in his. "I'll protect you."

"But I can't make my family sad, Harry."

"They just don't know me. I bet they'll like me if they knew me better."

"But this morning-"

"This morning I made a mistake." Harry admits and wants to burn a hole through the lenses of his glasses. "I made a mistake letting you go, even if it was for only a few hours."

"Are you.....lying? I don't really like lying."

"I'm not lying, Louis." He takes the Louis' hands and places it on his firm torso. "Give me more, a chance, and I'll show you."

"You....you want to be my boyfriend?" And Louis' cheeks are bright red. 

Harry nods and presses their foreheads together. While Harry's was as every other part of his body was, Louis' skin was damp with a thin layer of sweat. Harry licks his lips, and their proximity is so devilishly close that a bit of his tongue brushes Louis' lips. The smaller boy erupts into giggles. 

Harry chuckles when Louis looks away so he can calm down because Louis is so _innocent._ Louis feels happy, his mind is that of a child in the way that he doesn't really stay on something upsetting for more than a day. It was a whim and now everything is good again. 

"Boyfriends it is." Harry leans in again because as Louis' boyfriend, he gets to kiss him all he wants. 

"No." Louis is still giggling but softer now and he ends up leaving the expanse of his neck for Harry to kiss. 

"Lou." Harry whines against the sweet skin. 

"Mommy has to say yes first." He bites his lip. "Daisy too."

"Who's Daisy?"

"My little sister." 

"I have to impress your little sister?"

Louis nods eagerly before frowning. "And Lottie too but......"

"Don't worry, Lou." Harry bumps their noses and he gets to hear that wonderful giggling sound again. "I'll win them over and I'll have you."

"I'm hungry, Hazza."

"Alright, let's feed you." Harry rolls his eyes. "Do I really have to wait to kiss you?"

"Aha." Louis proclaims before stretching up on his tiptoes to kiss Harry's cheek. "Why are you wearing glasses inside?"

Harry stiffens because he couldn't reveal everything to Louis in one day. Right now, his eyes were their human shade of green with golden embers but that could change at any moment. He couldn't risk it. 

"Forgot my contacts." He lies smoothly. 

"Oh." Louis says. "I'll hold your hand then."

And Harry _knows_ he landed the best mate ever. He couldn't wait to kiss him breathless as soon as he can. 

Convincing Louis' relatives won't be difficult, it was another talent of his. Sure, one could go about it the old fashioned way but Harry was a demon and demons were selfish. They got what they wanted, when they wanted it. 

This was beyond complicated. Harry knew it and it totally sucked that Louis would never understand it. To mate officially, the demon would have to reveal their true form and have it be accepted by their mates. Louis was still in the stage of being terrified of closet monsters. 

Harry had to devise a plan, yet another one since the previous one had been capsized by fate. He knew what he wanted, and that was for Louis to live with him - forever could be added on later - in his apartment. Convincing Louis' stubborn family won't be a challenge, but he'd never use his abilities to manipulate Louis. 

"My friends don't like you as much as I do." Louis says and they walk together to the cafeteria. "But that's okay because they'll warm up to you."

"You like me?" Was all Harry heard from Louis' words. 

"Yeah but......not like Triss and Four yet."

"What?" Harry stares at him. 

"From my favorite movie, Divergent. Did you see it?"

Harry shakes his head because he doesn't think he's seen any movie or not any that he's paid attention to. 

"Oh! Then you can come watch it with me."

Harry steps in behind Louis when they stand in a small line for food. Louis' mom packs him lunch but he secretly eats that in class so he buys some new food now. 

"I'd love to." Harry resists the urge to drape himself over Louis' tiny frame because Louis was his now and everyone needed to see. 

The hall was filled with gossip and whispers, directed at the couple. Harry was aware and he heard every word being said, most made him cringe while others elicited a growl from him. 

Louis pokes his side once and Harry's head snaps toward him so quickly he might have ended up with whiplash. "Do you......want anything?"

"No, I'm fine." 

Louis sneezes and Harry coos at the small sound. He realises that his skin must still be freezing so he brings up the temperature again.

Louis gets a Vitamin Water and a Woolworths pre-packed sandwich of cheese and tomato. Harry hates human food, but opting to feed on blood won't go down well with anyone right now. 

"I sit with Niall and Liam outside." Louis tells a distracted Harry - only so because people kept sending Louis these looks that should send shivers down his spine. 

"Okay." Harry let's himself be led out onto the soccer field where two boys are already passing a ball between them. 

His first instinct is to leave with Louis and never turn back, his second is to follow Louis obediently. Obedience is a habit formed solely for Louis and anyone else would get a bloody nose. 

"Hey, Nialler!" Louis bounces up to the blond one who hugs him, making Harry growl. 

Liam eyes this new boy with critical hatred. He knew who Harry Styles was and he absolutely loathed the man. 

"Ni, this is Harry." Louis introduces excitedly. "Liam!"

"Yeah, Lou?" Liam looks away from his and Harry's stare-off. 

"You said you wouldn't start without me." Louis pouts and Harry wants to grovel at his feet. 

"Sorry, Lou. You were taking ages to get here. We'll start over."

"Yay!" Louis claps his small hands twice before setting down his food on the bleachers. "Do you play, Hazza?"

"Haven't ever." Harry replies. 

"Aw, we can teach you." Niall offers from beside Louis who's already tripped on his own feet. 

Niall and Liam ignore the boy - obviously accustomed to his clumsy ways - but Harry simply can't. He makes his way over to Louis and helps him stand before checking for injuries. 

"Hazza, I'm fine." Louis tries to fend him off. 

"Sure?"

"As sure as cream on apple pie." He kisses Harry's cheek and runs off to Liam with a giggle. 

Harry shakes his head and sits on the bleachers with Louis' food. Their break's almost over and Louis has to eat before going into the next period. Harry's duty is to ensure the health of his mate, and so he would do that. 

He takes out his phone to take a picture of Louis standing with his hands on his hips, trying to get Niall to pass the ball. Louis got attached to people really quickly, and so Harry had to be careful with what he's been given. 

He sees a text from his mom and he groans because what could she want now. 

_Staying at the flat tonight?_

Harry ignores it because he would be staying at the flat and there was no need to tell the world about it. He studies the structure of their school stands, thinking about how easily it would crumble if he wanted it to. 

"Hazza!" Louis shouts and Harry stands to seek him out. 

"Yeah?" He sees Louis standing with the ball in his hands and Niall on the ground being tackled by Liam. 

"Nevermind!" Louis starts walking towards him with a slight wobble and Harry suspects the heat has gotten to him. 

He let's Louis approach him before forcing the bottle of hydration into his hand. 

"Are you hungry?" Louis sits next to him. 

"No." Harry responds. He's been taught to never speak in many words but it seems unfair to Louis that Harry is so withdrawn most of the time. 

"Why not?"

"Food is disgusting here." 

Louis laughs. "You can bring lunch."

"Maybe I will." He offers Louis a genuine smile. "You should eat though."

"But I'm not hungry."

Harry almost forgot about Louis' customary behaviour. "Louis."

"Hazza."

"You have to eat."

"But I don't want to."

The bell rings and Harry is going insane with thoughts of Louis passing out because of dehydration or something unlikely but possible. 

"Bye, Lou!" Niall waves to them before running off across the field. 

Louis waves back at him and Liam before standing. 

"Louis, come on. Eat something." Harry pleads and his tone is flat because he's never pleaded before. 

"But-"

"I'll buy you whatever you want if you eat now." Bribery seemed like a good way to go. 

Louis' eyes widen like a kid on Christmas morning. "Like what?"

"Whatever you want."

"Can we go to the new ice cream place? Mommy said she'd take us but that was last week and I don't think she remembers."

"Of course."

"Yay!" He bends to kiss Harry's cheek - and the taller lad is certain he'll never get sick of those kisses - before grabbing his sandwich. "Do I get toppings?"

"As much as you want." They're walking down the hall towards Louis' next class - Life Sciences. 

"What if my teeth rot?"

"Then we'll go to the dentist."

"I don't like dentists."

"Me neither." Harry blocks the door, preventing Louis from entering. 

"Hazza. I'm late." Louis whines. 

Harry bends a little to kiss the corner of Louis' mouth since that's as close as he's allowed. Then the other corner and Louis looks away with deep blush and giggle that's become Harry's favorite sound. 

"Bye, Hazza!" Louis goes into the class and Harry is left to waste away another period alone. 

**_[A/N: Most would think the happiness has begun, but I assure you that Hell is about to break lose in this story - no pun intended (or maybe it is).]_ **


	6. Chapter 6

_The monster was the best friend I ever had._

***NARRATOR POV***

Life Sciences went well enough for Louis, they'd just started the topic of biodiversity which meant a major group assessment that carried a great portion of everyone's grade. They got to pick their own group members, and Louis refused to be put down by the fact that nobody had approached him. 

"Hey, Louis!" Or maybe his luck had changed because Dora - the class' brainiac - comes up to him. 

"Hi, Dora." He smiles widely at her, just like his mom taught him to always be polite. 

"Would you like to be in my group?" 

"Really?" 

"Sure."

"Yes! Thank you, Dora." He hugs her because hugs always made him smile. 

"No problem, Louis." She laughs. "Catch you later? I'll call you?"

"Oh. I don't have a cellphone."

"That's fine. Land-line number?"

He write it down for her on a small piece of paper from his notebook, signing it at the bottom with a tiny heart because they looked pretty. 

"Bye!" He waves to her before rushing down the hall. His next class was English. 

Harry stands in the school parking lot, awaiting the end of the day because only then would he be allowed to get into Rita's Door. It's a place in the richest district of town, where only demons were present. He needed to talk to Tim - a demon he's known since birth - about finding his mate in Louis. 

His fifth smoke was complete and he still felt uneased, this creeping dark feeling that kept egging him. It's been less than a few hours and he felt like he was losing his edge. 

His nostrils picked up the scent of his Louis, walking out with nothing and nobody. Harry should be slightly miffed at everyone who won't be friends with his sweetheart, but he was conveniently glad because now he had Louis all to himself. 

Except now, Harry's throat began to itch and his fingertips were prickly. He craved Louis' body in more ways than some. It's what was in his nature, nobody could help it. 

"Lou!" He shouts across the large distance but the shy boy still manages to pick up the sound. 

He blushes and approaches Harry, taking his arms as soon as Louis' close enough to wrap into. Harry chuckles because that was _obscenely adorable_ and he bravely fulfilled his wish of draping himself all over his mate to be. 

"Hey there, lovely." Harry kisses his forehead. 

"Hi." Louis feels cold with the violent wind brushing around them. "Guess what?"

"What?" Harry catches the glare of many passing students. 

"We got put in groups for a project today and Dora asked me to be in her group!"

"And Dora is?"

"She's really nice, and smart. For her birthday, we all got ice cream cookies."

"Then I'm glad she chose you before anyone else did."

Louis draws back enough to stand on his own, and glances back at the school building. "Nobody else would want me."

"Nonsense. I want you." And just to amuse Louis, Harry waggles his eyebrows suggestively in an act he would put on show _only_ for his boy. 

"Thanks." Louis pushes his hair out of his face after giggling. "I'm going to get Daisy now."

"Will I see you later?"

"Maybe."

"What if I decide to come over and see your family tonight?"

"You said you would." Louis raises an eyebrow. "And I'd be hiding the whole time."

"Why?" 

"You have to find me to know." 

Louis rocks up on his tiptoes to peck Harry's cheek before giddily running off towards the primary school section of their school. He was still a child with the mind of a pre-adolescent, absolutely no sense of adult morale and responsibility. Harry wouldn't have him any other way. 

Harry decides to let off some of the pent-up steam from today with a visit to his favorite demon bar. Tim regularly attended the club and Harry could bet his fork-end tail that he'd be there right now.   
So, at 15h00 Harry finds himself in front of Rita's Door with a heavy wallet and parked Jaguar. 

"Been a while, Harry boy." Tim claps his shoulder. 

The fabulous thing about this place, was that demons didn't need to hide in their human forms while present. They could walk around however they pleased. Harry made sure to abandon his glasses and safe appearance at the door. 

He was hideous again. Sure, the devil came to you as all you've ever wanted, but when he was in the company of himself, he was what nobody - including himself - wanted him to be. Harry tried not to think about how disgusting he was, I mean he did have a trace of good looks even in this ugly form. 

He didn't have horns because all that was, was a stereotype. He had rock hard skin, and that came with numerous cracks that ran deeper than humanely possible. His body was pale and his eyes were but shadows of what his soul looked like. His nails were talons, crusted with caked blood and skin. He would never accept himself as a mate, but he'll be damned - no pun intended - if Louis didn't accept him. 

"Yeah, it has been." Harry sits at the bar with the only fellow demon he remotely good-natured to. 

"Boys night out?"

"I need your help."

"Even worse."

"I found a mate."

" _A_ mate?"

" _My_ mate."

"Oh. Sorry, Harold. Nobody ever wants those." 

"Yeah, I know."

"So what's she like?"

"He."

"Oh?" Tim laughs, banging his fist in the counter and demanding attention from the human who is tossed around in here. 

***HARRY'S POV***

She comes and he let's her sit on his lap. I've been there, but somehow felt no urge to feed on someone trashy like her. I wanted to have Louis' blood, because it wasn't unordinary for demons to feed on their mates. We never took too much, just enough to quench our desire for their scent. 

"What's _he_ like?" Tim smirks. 

"Fuck you." I take an empty glass from behind the bar. "Make a slit for me?"

He does on her wrist and let's blood pour into my glass, because I wouldn't let this medicore guilt stop me from carrying out my life. 

"So, you here for a reason?" 

"He's sick."

"Oh man." Tim look actually sympathetic. He doesn't have a mate, but every demon knew the suffering that came with losing a mate. "A dying mate is-"

"He's not dying." I spit. "He's......got this condition. He's seventeen but acts like he's six."

"Oh, well that's.....one of a kind."

"Yeah." I gulp down the contents of my glass. 

"Is he a Carrier?"

"No." Harry tells the truth because Louis wasn't a Carrier. Harry's original plan failed when he found Louis to be his mate, however, if Harry chose to still make Louis his Carrier then he'd have to make sure the smaller lad could carry a baby. 

"That's a shame."

"Won't even let me kiss him."

"Then he's a virgin one." Tim's eyes shine and I growl loudly enough to scare off the girl and earn strange looks from passing acquaintences. 

"He's _mine._ You fucking go near him and Hell will never see your face again."

Tim holds his hands up in defense. "Hey, you know I can't interfere with your mate. Demon rules."

I roll my eyes and get back to my glass. There's a tight feeling in my chest and a very disconcerting one at that. 

My vision whites for a quick moment and my head grows heavy. "What the fuck? Tim, what was in her blood?"

"Nothing, mate. I'm fine. Why?"

"Damn- _fucking Hell._ What's wrong with me?" I had the glass in my hand one moment, and the next it's shattered on the floor. 

I hear the borrowed blood in my veins and the rapid pumping of an estranged heart. What's happening?

"It isn't the blood. Can only be him, then. Go find your mate, Harry." Tim shoves me off the stool. "Go now!"

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Louis walked with Daisy, Lottie, Phoebe and Fizzy on their way home. No ice cream today but Louis was slightly smug at the promise Harry made to take him to the newest parlour. 

"Daisy, stay away from the road." Lottie warns, grabbing her tiny hand firmly. 

"Think I'll drive one day?" Fizzy asks the bunch of siblings. 

"Yeah. Then you'd have to drive us to school." 

"And for pizza!" Daisy squeals. 

"Don't forget fro-yo." Lottie adds. 

"Ew!" Louis frowns. "Maybe milkshakes."

"Okay, no licence for me." Fizzy laughs and tugs Phoebe along. 

"I got picked to be in Dory's group today." Louis decides to let everyone know. He's really excited about that. 

"Really? Did she ask you?" Fizzy glances over her shoulder. 

"Aha."

"Well done, Lou." Lottie ruffles his hair and Louis doesn't mind because it's done real fancy, she does it up anyway. 

There's a screech behind them and Louis ignores it because it doesn't continue. It sounds pretty far away too. 

They come to a pedestrian crossing. "Who says we- Louis!" 

Louis had been engrossed by the screen of that damn Casio calculator, meddling with the table function and didn't look up fast enough to see the spinning car headed right for him. 

**_[A/N: I just confirmed this story's plot and woah I didn't expect that. Opinions? What's going to happen to Lou? Noooooooobody knows.....]_ **


	7. Chapter 7

**_[A/N: Okay, just a fair warning. We're going to do the main bits here then a minor time jump. Maybe three weeks, I don't know. This chapter's hectic.]_ **

***HARRY'S POV***

The bad feeling didn't ease up when I got closer to the source of the scent of my mate. It became worse, heavier and clouding my coherent thought abilities. Smells of gasoline, oil and burnt plastic also accompany Louis' sweet fragrance and my cold heart maybe thaws enough to break in half when I realise what's happened. 

I'd not taken the human time to drive or walk over here, opting to use what I'd been given to transport myself. My wings were massive and took a while to fold into my back, but there was more of a hurry today. 

"Louis." I gasp, completely enraged by the causer of this hurt and such twisting agony for my Lou. 

There are people everywhere when I slide off the tree, sprinting up to the sprawled out youngster who could still be breathing. He chokes and I breathe out in relief because he could always get better. 

His siblings are somewhere and I know they're coming closer because I can smell their panic and fear. They should be with him. They're his family. But look at what they've done, he's hurt because they didn't care about enough to look out for him. Warn him, maybe. Not like I would have. I growl deep in my throat, a menacing threat to anyone who would normally step up. It had the power our forefathers did, to keep humans at bay by hypnotism. 

"Lou?" I place his head on my lap. 

His eyes are closed and he coughs blood onto my jeans. He is keeping it in, I know he is. I offer him as much support as I can while I try to diagnose the damage. 

"Lou? Lou, come on. Wake up, sweetheart. You can't sleep." I rock a little with him in my arms. 

He blinks to reveal blood-shot eyes and my throat clenches. He moans before letting out a piercing cry. 

"What hurts, love?" I ask desperately. 

"Legs." He coughs and I remove my shirt to wipe his mouth. 

He was right. His legs lay in an obtuse angle that looked so painful. I bit my lip and tried to keep his eyes open because we couldn't afford a concussion. 

"Lou? Look at me, love." I fall on my butt when I try to rile him. "Baby, come on."

"It hurts, Haz." The tears slip from his eyes and onto the road. 

I had no power in this situation. I couldn't help him because all I could do was hurt others. 

I nod. "I know, my only. I know it hurts but stay with me, okay?"

I take his hand and interlock our fingers, wanting so bad to just carry him off but where would I take him? The paramedics arrive and so does the fire truck that douses the crashed car in cold water before I have Louis dragged away from me. 

"I'm going with him." I state firmly. 

"Yeah. Sure." The medic says before rolling Louis' gurney towards the ambulance and we all get in. 

His eyes close just as the door shuts and I hold his hand all the way through to the emergency room. The doctors whisk him off to the OR before I can say anything, and I'm forced to wait for a response. 

I don't get one until four hours later. 

*** _One Month Later_ ***

"Mr. Styles. We did all that we could." The doctors had informed me that faithful day one month back. 

"Don't even....fuck." I ran my hand angrily through my hair. "Fuck!"

"He's not gone, Mr. Styles."

"What?"

"He's lost the use of his lower limbs but all else functions properly."

And I could have kissed them if I didn't absolutely hate them for damaging a part of my perfect Lou. "Can I see him?"

They let me and I never left his room even for a bathroom break - not that I really needed one. His parents came, his entire family visited and even though I didn't want them near Lou, he wanted to see them constantly and I'd never deprive him of anything.   
It took less than lifting a finger to convince his family to let him live with me. My eyes were that of persuasion. 

Today was the day he'd be released from his ward and come home with me to an apartment I've been setting up this entire past week. It was perfect for his arrival and made wheelchair friendly since that was Louis' new way of getting around. 

I now stand with Louis' bag - the only one that still needed to be taken to his new home - by the reception desk waiting for the nurse to hand him over. His mom had a touchy goodbye to do that I had no patience for.   
He knew he was coming to stay with me, because his mom broke the news to him and he was hesitant at first - an adorable trait - before accepting it. 

"Bye, Lou." The eldest sister hugs him even though the position is awkward and strenuous on Louis' back. 

"We'll miss you!" The twins have their hugs and Louis isn't crying yet. 

At his mom's turn, he breaks down against her shoulder and I find the restraint to hold in my frustration.   
Half an hour later, we've arrived at my apartment and Louis is somewhat on edge. 

He looks just as beautiful as he always was. His fringe was neat and his hair was so soft, just like his skin and how I ached to feel it. He was a lot thinner, and it definitely frightened me but he was home now and I'd take care of him. 

"Hungry?" I ask after I've pushed him into the lounge, now kneeling down in front of him to see his eyes. 

He shakes his head and blushes. 

"You have to be hungry, Lou." I place my hands on his knees and he flinches, wincing and biting his lip harshly. "Hospital food sucks."

And suddenly he's crying. I knew why so I just hold him close - as close as can be - while his body is wrecked with sobs. He couldn't feel it when I touched his legs and I know how much he loved outside, sports and running around until he was covered in mud. I tore me apart to see him this way. 

"Aw, Lou. It's alright, sweetheart. Shh." I comb my fingers through his hair. "We'll be okay. You just have to tell me if anything's hurting or you don't like something, alright?"

"Okay." He sniffs. "I'm tired, Hazza."

"Want to have a bath? Then we can hop in bed and maybe call home?"

He brightens up a bit. "Maybe I am hungry. A little bit."

I laugh light-heartedly. "Pizza too, then."

Louis' bath could not be taken alone. I had to keep him company because he was both afraid of the dark, and prone to sliding down into the soapy water if not supervised. I tried talking to him but all he did was play with his hands under the water and ignored me. 

"Lou." I sigh and he looks up at me innocently with an empty look in his eye. 

I grow tired of his silence and strip down myself - leaving my boxers on - to climb in behind him. He gasps and squirms as I do so but I secure him against my chest and he surrenders. 

"Talk to me, angel." I place a gentle kiss to his neck. "Don't be alone in this."

He starts sobbing again and it hurts my ears to hear. His shoulder shake and I hold him in a tight embrace as he let's it out. He hasn't smiled like he used to, his laugh is empty now and that hurt more than anything. I whisper sweet little words into his ear along with open-mouthed and butterfly kisses, trying to calm him down. 

His bath finished and I had to carry him into what was now our room. I was given a thorough set of instructions regarding his car and treatment, something I didn't take lightly. I gently laid him down on the bed with a towel and grabbed the medicinal cream off the bedside table. I, of course, had to purchase everything myself but not that I minded.   
On my way back I kiss him swiftly enough to earn a blush. His mom approved of me - big surprise - and so I now got to kiss him as often as I was allowed. 

His legs were frail and thin. They were once his best feature, now wisps of what they used to be. I still loved every inch of him like nothing had changed. He never looked at them too long, because when they were shattered, so was his heart. 

"Why are you doing this for me?" He looks around the room, then at me. 

I pick up both of his legs and lay them across my lap before squirting cream in my hands. "I told you this everyday since.....I met you, I'm sure."

He frowns. "Can you tell me again?"

"I like you, Louis Tomlinson."

"But people don't do such nice things for people they _like._ "

"So maybe I really like you." I wink at him and he turns bright red. 

"Even when I'm....like this?"

"You're still Lou to me. Nothing's changed."

He smiles at me and looks away when I start to moisturise his legs with a prescription cream, from thigh to foot. I could wrap my entire hand around his calf. 

"What pizza will we get?" I ask casually, switching his legs and paying attention to the other. 

"I like chicken and mayonnaise!" His sudden chirpy mood is a glimpse of his old self and it makes my heart swell. 

"Me too. Let's get that then."

"Can I call them?"

"Sure."

He has a rather cute conversation with a woman on the other side of Scooters pizza. They agree to deliver and I flop down on the bed lazily. 

"Hazza?" He taps my chest with his index finger. 

He's a distance away and it would depress up both for him to crawl over to me, so I move closer to him. "Yes, my sweet?"

"If that's what you really want, but you don't have to. I'll take care of you forever."

He grins and dips down to kiss my cheek, comfortably snuggling up to my side as he does so. "Do you love me, Hazza?"

I stiffen from the strange question, my arm coiling around his waist. "Would you be scared if I said yes?"

He laughs. "I can't run away."

"Hey." I look at him with set eyes. "Don't ever think I'm forcing you to do anything. If you want to leave or something, you make sure to tell me."

"Okay, Hazza." He yawns against my jaw and I turn my face to kiss him full on the lips. "I promise."

"Don't sleep now, baby. Pizza's almost here."

"Pizza." He mumbles, carelessly throwing his arms around my middle and creeping closer. 

"Wanna maybe cuddle on the couch?"

"Wanna cuddle here." He whines.

"We'll mess the sheets, Lou."

"Can we get a puppy?"

"Huh?"

"Puppies are cute and mommy never let me have one. Can I? Please!" He starts kissing me everywhere he can reach and I chuckle before stilling him. 

"Of course, sweetheart. Anything for you."

"Can we go tomorrow?"

"Yup."

"I love you, Hazza." He brightly proclaims with another loud kiss to the corner of my mouth. I guiltily point to the other corner and he giggles before covering that spot too. 

The bell rings and I groan. "Pizza!"

"Stay here. I'll go get it." I say, separating myself from the warmth that is my love. 

I pay and take the red box away before shuffling back to the bedroom. Louis' in the same position I left him with his eyes set on the television remote. 

"What should we watch?" I ask, dropping to the mattress like a starfish. 

Louis laughs and bends to press our lips together for a fleeting moment. 

"Like kissing me, don't you?" I raise my eyebrow at his flushed cheeks. 

"You're sweet and I owe you lots of kisses." 

He crawls into my open arms and I shift his legs myself under the blanket. I am able to cocoon around him and tickle his sides a bit before switching on the TV. 

"Oh! The Grudge is on." Louis points to the channel and I have no choice but to listen. 

With this horrific movie on, I tend to pass one slice of pizza between us at a time. Louis was the one to jump when the scary girl or meowing boy would show up, so I'd just steal bites from the same slice he was munching on. Maybe human food wasn't so bad. 

"Hazza, I don't like this movie." Louis is hiding in my bare chest forty minutes into the production. "She-She scares me."

"She isn't real, Lou." I kiss his temple but nonetheless cover his chest with my wide bicep. "I'll protect you."

"You will?"

"Of course."

"What if she takes us both?"

"Then I'll get you out."

"What about you?" He stares into eyes and I feel like every glance has him searching through my soul. 

"I just need you to be happy. What happens to me doesn't matter."

"No, Hazza." He cups both sides of my face. "I'll be sad without you."

"Then you'll always have me. You'll get sick of me even." 

"Never!" He squeals delightfully when I tickle his hip. 

At that moment the spooky female decides to show up on the screen and Louis reaches for me again, hiding behind my arm until I whisper that she's gone. 

"No more scary movies for you." I say, switching off the TV. 

"Aw but Hazza I like them." He protests. 

"Didn't seem like it."

"I promise I do." 

"I believe you." I kiss his forehead. "Go to sleep."

"Where are you going?" 

"To the kitchen. I'll be right back."

He grabs my wrist with both his hands and shakes his head. "No, Hazza. Don't leave me alone here."

I chuckle and roll my eyes. "See what I mean?"

"Stay." He whispers, almost on the verge of tears again. 

I nod and get under the covers with him, wrapping him up in my arms and hiding him from the world. He falls asleep against my chest and my legs trying not to crush his stent-maintained ones.


	8. Chapter 8

**_[A/N: This story is about to take a major plot twist o.O ohmygod I'm nervous]_ **

_Loving you is as easy as hating myself._

***HARRY'S POV***

Louis' wish to own a puppy did not go ignored by his truly - it's a demon's foremost duty to ensure that their mate is happy. I intended to take him to the pet store as soon as he was able to listen to and form any coherent thoughts. 

He wriggled about a lot and I made sure to hold him still, keeping him from hurting himself with any rash movements. Eventually he fell asleep again at three in the morning, my one arm braced around his entire body to hold him still. I kiss his forehead and sigh peacefully, wishing I could sleep myself. 

It's when my bedside digital clock strikes five that I decide to hire a housekeeper. A female one, probably old enough to be our mother and take care of my Lou while I had to be gone attending some pathetic meeting. 

Louis stirs, his eyes flutter to reveal those magnificent cerulean orbs of sheer beauty. "Hi."

"Hello, my only." I kiss his forehead, cheeks, nose and finally lips. "It's too early for you to be awake."

"You're awake."

"I have to make sure you're comfortable. I don't like sleep."

Louis yawns cutely and covers his mouth. "Don't like sleep?"

"Yes. Sleep, Lou. Wake up later and we can go out." 

"No, Harry." Louis immediately starts protesting. "I don't want to go out. People will laugh and-and I'll get bullied. Please don't make me go."

"It's okay." I promise. "I'm going to be there the whole time and didn't you want a puppy?"

"You won't leave me?"

"I won't leave you."

"Can you kiss me again?"

"I can." 

I roll us over, dragging him to lie on my chest and kissing him slowly. Part of me is so happy that I get to do this with Louis, while half of me really wants us to get naked. I couldn't do that to Louis now, while he's so susceptible to emotional disdain. No one else got that privilege, just sweet Louis. 

So the selfish half of my one-track mind won, and I found myself rolling us back over. I minded Louis' legs as I deepened our modest kiss, catching him off-guard as he squeaked. I sniffed his neck and wanted nothing more than to bite and mark him as my own. But I couldn't, a mate must consent and for that Louis must see my true form. 

Louis giggled when I blew a raspberry against the spot below his ear, a wonderful sound. He tugged on my hair and pouted for another kiss. 

"Lou?" I enjoy his nervousness and lack of knowledge, because I meant I could teach him myself. 

"Yes?"

"Do you want me?"

"I don't understand."

"Me. Do you want me?"

Louis blushes a deep shade of pink. "I-I.....Mommy says I can't until...until I'm old enough."

"You are old enough, Lou." 

Louis frowns. Oh shit. "But.....do you want me too?"

"I want you more than anything, Lou."

"Then I want you." Louis smiles. "But we can't do anything naughty."

I want to cry at his words. "Why not?"

"Mommy says marriage first. It's how you know a person really loves you."

"Oh...okay then."

I decide right then that I needed to find a way to fix Louis' condition, make it better with a method unknown to mankind. I'd have to call Tim, right after getting a housekeeper and buying Lou a puppy. 

Louis has a bath while I brush my teeth, claiming that he has to do so twice a day or "I feel dirty all day.". 

I finally get him into a pair of slacks (jeans made his legs itch) and a friendly blank T-shirt that made him smile. He was truly adorable when his eyes shone from reflecting sunlight and when his cheeks blushed from a compliment.   
He still had to go out in a wheelchair for his aid, but that didn't bother him so much anymore. 

We take my car to the nearest pet adoption agency. 

_"I want one that will want me too, Hazza."_ Louis said about adopting getting an abandoned animal over a thoroughbred or something. 

"Harry!" Louis calls me over from where I stood with the sales agent, watching him and brushing her off. 

"What is it, Lou?" I kneel automatically in front of him. 

"Look." Louis' magnificent eyes were glued to a shivering kitten curled up in the corner of its cage. 

I nod at the woman whose name just slipped my mind the moment she mentioned it, and she approaches our party with a steady frown. 

"This is a stray." She says distastefully. "Car ran over his tail."

"Aw." Louis cooes. 

He looks pitifully at the tiny creature with his eyes wide and bottom lip pouting. My heart, however alien, does a strange thing in my chest at the glorious sight. 

"Can I hold him please?" Louis asks me rather the woman supposedly in charge. 

"Go ahead, love." 

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Louis isn't nervous about reaching out and maybe being scratched by an unappreciative kitten, but that he'd scare the poor thing even more by how big he is in comparison. He's never supposed to bully those smaller than him, or make them scared. 

It's a Siberian kitten with an almost flat tail that's been stitched and has no fur at certain parts. His eyes are deep blue and let Louis hold him without violence.   
Harry could breathe easy afterwards because he's pretty certain a wrong move on the cat's part would have meant its death. 

Louis giggles when the cat tried to hide from the light and onlookers in Louis' shirt. 

"Can we have him?" Louis' eyes do that sparkle they usually bring out when requesting something. "Please, Hazza?"

Has Harry ever said no to his Louis? "If you're sure."

"I am!" Louis beams. 

Harry turns after kissing Louis' temple to deal with the rash lady by their side. There's not much of a cost but there are a lot of contracts and a few bills. The cat came in with nothing so they take nothing home with it besides a complimentary box with holes on the lid. 

"What will we name him?" Harry asks Louis after the boy is seated and they're ready to drive off. 

"He looks like-" Louis keeps the animal from falling off the seat, cuddled in his arms. "-a Sebastian."

Harry's eyes widen impressively at the entrance of a KFC drive-thru. "That's a big name."

"Always wanted to name my kitten Sebastian." Louis smiles at the curious kitten that's peering out the closed window. "Mommy never got me one."

"Well, you can have whatever you want with me." Harry assures. 

Louis blushes a deep red and leans over to kiss Harry shyly on the dimple, it was a sign of his appreciation. 

"What do you want to eat?" Harry asks. 

"Can I have chicken pops?" Louis is so _hopeful_ it breaks Harry's heart - what's left of it. 

"Of course you can." Harry chuckles and removes his Ray Bans when he has to talk to the lady at the window. 

When they're back at the apartment, Harry settles them both down in the living room to watch a movie so Louis will hopefully fall asleep soon. He needed to see Tim. 

Louis eats and yawns with the new addition to their mini family - Harry really isn't sure what to call what they have yet - snuggled against the crook of his elbow. 

"Tired?" Harry moves his arm and brings Louis closer so that the boy's head rests on his shoulder. 

Louis nods and Harry gets a whiff of his sweet scent, intoxicating and enough to make Harry salivate. He knows he can't do anything about it but he _needs_ to. There's a hint of something else too, like Louis walked too close to something foul. 

When Louis' knocked out, Harry drapes a comfortable blanket over him and props his head on a pillow. Louis has Sebastian asleep under his arm and Harry frowns because that thing needs a bath before it comes anywhere near their bed. 

Tim showed up precisely three minutes after Harry had that thought. 

"Fucker." Harry gasps when he steps into the room set aside just for his personal business. "Could have called."

"You needed me." Is all Tim says from his perch on the window sill. "Why?"

When Harry opens his mouth, Tim lifts his hand to silence him. Harry growls and gets no show of aggression in response. Tim just inhales deeply and shakes his head. 

"What?" Harry enquires. 

"You stink."

Harry frowns and smells himself but even the detailed sense of smell awarded to him as a perk of being demonic, can pick up nothing. 

"Alright. What do you want?" Tim faces Harry. 

"I need help."

"Obviously."

Harry's chest rumbles with a threatening growl, and Tim raises his hands in defense. 

"Sorry. What kind of help?"

"Louis." Harry answers, instantly calmed by the mention of his mate. "He's...hurt."

"I am aware."

"I want to fix him."

"Why?"

"Because he's a child, Tim." Harry sighs heavily. "I can't mate with a child."

"Have you forgotten _who_ you are? You can do anything."

"The rules apply to everything besides a mate, Tim. You know this."

Tim thinks over what to say. "Be patient?"

"I've tried but you know how hard it is with him around constantly."

"It was your move making him live here."

"Because he isn't safe without me." 

"Alright. Well, there is a way."

"What way?"

"It's gonna take _His_ approval and energy."

"Lucifer loves me." Harry smirks. "It'll be my first favour."

"But...-"

"But what, Tim?" Harry grows in irritation. 

"Gonna need a sacrifice."

Harry slumps back into his chair with a drawn out heavy breath. "Why was I matched to a broken mate?"

"Broken mate, eh?"

The voice wasn't Tim's, by the look on his face, and Harry didn't say it because he knows what comes out of his own mouth. Both men turn towards the door and are met with a real sight, indeed. Harry's jaw drops and Tim's true form flares aggressively. 

Louis is _standing_ there, arms crossed and hurt expression on his face. 

**_[A/N: WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Innocent Louis may or may not be gone. Nah. Definitely not gone. Just.......woah. Opinions? Thoughts? Hate or love?]_ **


	9. Chapter 9

_You have to have the darkness, for the dawn to come._

**"Broken mate, eh?"**

**The voice wasn't Tim's, by the look on his face, and Harry didn't say it because he knows what comes out of his own mouth. Both men turn towards the door and are met with a real sight, indeed. Harry's jaw drops and Tim's true form flares aggressively.**

**Louis is _standing_ there, arms crossed and hurt expression on his face.**

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry fishmouths like a complete fool, before being snapped to reality by the threat Tim still poses to Louis. It wasn't on purpose, but Tim was very instinctual and now he could hurt Louis. 

He rushes to his feet in time to shove Tim back behind the oak desk and reveal the slits in his eyes. Tim tightens his jaw and backs down. 

"I'm leaving." Tim hisses out before slipping through the window. 

Harry turns back to the door _almost_ afraid of what he will be faced with. Louis is still there, a bit more amused in his manner. 

"I still wouldn't say _broken_." Louis leans against the door frame. 

"L-Louis." Harry is out of breath, words and coherent thought. Louis steps into the room, totally capable in all his limbs. 

"You are surprised." Louis is wearing a tiny frown that doesn't fit his face. "That's not good." Now he's pouting like this is _his_ fault, which it is but Harry can't believe that. 

"Y-Your legs. What happened?" Harry was losing control too, slowly and sweetly it was slipping from his fingers. 

With almost half of it down the drain here, Harry can't resist seizing Louis by his waist. Instantly, he drops to his knees just to make sure this all isn't an illusion. 

"Hazza." Louis is giggling like this is _normal_ and he doesn't even stop Harry from lifting his leg effortlessly. 

Harry sets Louis' socked foot on his knee and just _feels_ all along the surface of Louis' skin for where the mirage kicked in. But no, it was all real and soft skin with a magnificent scent. Harry thinks doing that was a terrible idea because now he can't think straight.   
He stands up warily, reluctantly releasing Louis' thigh. 

"Lou." Harry exhales and his mate's name is lost in the sequence. "Oh Louis."

Louis is right there, in front of him and reaching out to touch him. There went all his control. Without asking permission or thinking anything through, Harry grabs Louis and spins them around. Everything from the desk flies off and Louis is slid onto it. 

"Harry." Louis pushes the man away when he starts nipping at his neck. 

"No." Harry let's a growl ripple out from his tight throat. "You're mine."

"And you will have me." Louis pulls on his hair too hard to ignore. 

"Tonight."

"No." Louis chuckles. "Not tonight."

Harry whines and holds on tighter. "Tell me what I didn't see for myself."

"It is for you to figure out." Louis grins proudly, ripping into Harry's chest a little. He giggles after that and Harry feels faint. "I've always wanted to say that."

"My only." Harry really needs to speak in full sentences. "How are you-"

"You are demon spawn." Louis states, crossing his ankles around Harry's back. 

"I am."

"Let me see your true form."

"No."

"Please." Louis is pouting again with the innocent flint in his eye feeding Harry's inner monster. 

And well, Harry has always turned into a fumbling mess around his beautiful to-be mate. He takes a deep breath, and closes his green eyes. Louis waits. 

Harry feels it prickle across his skin, stretching until taut and ripping through. The hairs are replaced by the toughest of fine thorns. His back muscles flex painfully and he groans, revealing his wings with the darkest shadow of all. His eyes burn from green to black, eliminating all the white along with the emerald.   
His hair burns at the roots and falls to ashes, hideous red veins and slightly damp skin. His ears become pointed for a better sense of hearing and his nose crooks. His muscles turn black so that it shows through the red skin and his teeth sharpen into thirty-two fangs. 

Harry is frightened, for the first time since creation, of being rejected for his true form. It was horrendous and he never cared for another opinion but if his chosen mate rejects him the he really has nothing left. 

"Open your eyes." Louis coaxes.

Harry is at Louis' mercy so he does lift his eyelids, letting Louis take in the snake-like orbs. 

"What are you afraid of?" Louis' expression conveys none of his emotions. 

"You."

Louis _giggles_ the way he would when Harry took him for an oblivious young boy. Louis was apparently a lot more. 

"Why are you afraid of me?" Louis is wide-eyed and just to prove how harmless he is, tightens his hold around Harry. "I can't hurt you."

"Don't you hate me?" Harry doesn't know if he's allowed to touch Louis. 

Louis rolls his eyes like this is the most trivial thing ever. "Am I supposed to?"

"No!" Harry shouts urgently. "No, I-I want you to love me. I want to love you in return."

Louis' smile falters. "Do you not already love me?"

"I do." Harry's voice is no longer accustomed to English because his true form is meant only to speak in his native tongue. "M-Mates. I want us as mates."

Louis' little hurt is patched up quickly when he understands. "I....I accept your courtship, Harry."

Harry's wings sag with relief. His Louis didn't deny him love and mating, which is all a demon should live for. Louis finds the act amusing and let's out a soft giggle. When Harry goes to kiss him though, Louis puts his finger to Harry's lips. 

"Nah uh." Louis teases. 

"We're courting." Harry jerks Louis forward. "We may be as intimate as we want."

"Not yet please." Louis' voice shakes when his hands settle on Harry's shoulders. 

"I feel deprived of some truth, my only. What is it?"

"Everybody has to say yes too."

"Since when?"

"It is....." Louis looks down at his hands. "It is our one rule."

Harry switches back to weaker and more vulnerable human flesh, not the least bit ashamed that he is stark naked now. Louis' cheeks flare when he notices and he let's out a surprised squeal before covering his own eyes. 

"Why do you hide?" Harry chuckles, holding Louis' wrists where his palms are against his eyes. 

"You don't have clothes."

"We are mates." Harry whispers. 

"Not yet we aren't."

"Do not remind me." Harry groans. "Louis, look at me."

Louis makes Harry cackle unabashedly and suddenly when he separates his index finger from the rest to peek through rather than move his hands completely. 

"I am not ashamed." Harry tugs weakly on Louis' wrists. 

"I am." Louis answers, keeping his cerulean orbs pinned to Harry's melting mossy ones. 

Harry kisses Louis' forehead, and each of his fingertips. On returning to his human state, a tooth still had to change and nipped Louis' sensitive skin. The demon's nostrils flared in interest and Louis frowned at his own hand. 

"Let me." Harry requests almost too quickly. "Please."

Louis nods and carefully reaches his hand out. Harry sees that his middle finger has a single drop of ruby blood placed atop. A tissue would do just fine, but Harry's a beast of lust so he ignores rationale and brings the finger to his lips. 

"You taste so sweet." Harry licks his lips where the red pigment splashed. 

Louis knows the role of a mate to a demon, and he smiles shyly after receiving the compliment. 

"I will not drink from you." Harry answers Louis' mental question. "Not if you don't want me to."

"I don't mind." Louis smiles. "I want to make you happy."

"That is my life purpose to you." Harry brings Louis' arms over his shoulders and they couldn't be any closer. "May I ask you something?"

"I didn't lie." Louis answers instead. "I had to let you think I was that way."

"Why?"

"Let me show you something." 

Louis closes his eyes and while Harry waits for possibly a dragon transformation, nothing happens.   
But he notices why moments later. A flickering light seeps through Louis' T-shirt as intricate designs are formed on his skin. It really runs in a single stream from Louis' ankle to the inside of his thigh and up to his neck on the left side. 

It was the most beautiful thing Harry's ever laid eyes on. Louis had dark blue markings that just added to the boy's appeal. But, along with the change came an alteration to his scent. 

"You are a God." Harry nuzzles Louis' neck. "Like an angel in beauty but you wield so much more power."

"This is not all." Louis' short fingers tug on Harry's wavy hair. 

"Why do you smell different?"

Louis has a confused expression, not knowing whether to be glad or broken by what he has to say. "I-I am weak."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you." Louis is pleading with his eyes for Harry to understand. 

"Louis."

"Its not my choice." Louis' blue eyes tear up. "None of it is."

"Lovely, don't cry." Harry wipes Louis' tear away from his sharp cheekbone. 

Louis pulls his shirt up at the hip and Harry doesn't need to be asked to moves the waistband of his trackies. 

"This-" Louis points to a symbol that resembles that of a Capricorn. "-is my mark."

Harry waits for further explanation with curious fingers wandering over the flesh. 

"It means Omega." Louis bites his lip. "It means I can't choose my mate."

The demon in Harry comes to life, enchanted by the term Omega. Omega meant easy prey in their world, but Louis wasn't of his world. 

"You chose me." Louis let's his perfect teeth show in a small smile. "And you need permission to mate me."

"Permission from who?"

"My family." 

"They-"

"Do not live here." 

Louis sighs when he knows he's said too much and needs to stop before he got in trouble. Harry was obviously Alpha and completing the toughest task of mating won't be an issue, which means Louis didn't have to wait long. 

"Give me your mark." Louis says. "But don't mate me."

"I do not mind but what for?"

Louis swallows hard, feeling that grave unhappiness creep up his throat again. "You have to find me and if I bear your mark it will be easier."

"What are you saying?"

"You need to find me again." Louis bravely kisses the corner of Harry's lips. "My heart is yours but this is the challenge all Alphas must face to claim an Omega."

"Find you?" Harry grabs Louis' hands and holds it next to his face. "Where?"

"I cannot tell you. Mark me and you have until it fades to find me."

"What happens if I don't?"

"A mate is chosen for me."

Harry let's the slits in his eyes come back, provoked by boiling anger. "Stay here with me."

"Do you not accept me then?" 

"I have never needed anything the way I crave you, Louis. But I have never heard of this being done before."

"My people are different. I can't tell you anything unless you agree to this. You will know everything when I see you again."

"I'm a demon, that's why you're doing this."

"We are allowed to bond with those not of our species." Louis stands on his feet and hugs Harry around his middle. "Please find me. I don't want anyone else to love me."

Harry thinks about kidnap and forced changing while he inhales Louis' scent, finding the softest spot on Louis' neck to mark. Right on his pulse, Harry bites down hard until a few drops of blood appear. He infuses his essence into Louis' forcefully before releasing him. He kisses the wound and it heals. 

"Take this." Louis doesn't even nurse his newest scar. He digs out something from his pocket. "Give me your hand please."

Harry willingly submits, feeling the bit of Louis' extraction he's taken kick in and meld with his body. In the midst of his reflection, Louis has slipped a ring on Harry's thumb. 

"Now close your eyes." Louis whispers and Harry finds himself obeying without reason. 

A pair of soft lips press against Harry's Adam's Apple and then draw back. Thinking it's over, Harry opens his eyes and finds that the room is empty except for himself. 

**_[A/N: Talk about sci-fi. Never fear, innocent and giggly Louis isn't gone. I have an idea of what's going to happen (mostly). Ha. Pleaaassseee vote + comment bc I love to hear your thoughts!! They make me so happy. To Gigglylou, thanks for sticking around during the drought season of this story and being so supportive :') I really appreciate the comments and ily xx To everyone who is still here after my writer's block X_X I owe you my soul and a cookie.]_ **


	10. Chapter 10

**_[A/N: Are you guys really confused? Honestly? Damn. This is like....the third time my reader's didn't understand me. What the Hell is wrong with me. Okay let me just fix this. This story is tagged Supernatural, so there are tons of things that are going to be Sci-Fi like. Harry's a demon and what Louis is a mystery to all of us. Harry is Alpha in his species and Louis is Omega in his. They have to mate but as a custom with Louis' people, Harry has to 'work' to earn Louis which means Louis is going to disappear and Harry has to find him. Please ask me about what you don't understand because I can't explain otherwise. I know it probably shouldn't but it's a hard blow for me everytime I see that people don't understand my writing.]_ **

_The insides of our own minds are the scariest things out there._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"Louis!" The boy's closest companion, Rae, burst through Louis' room doors. 

Louis' fright phase melts when he recognises the voice and controls the pressured beating of his heart. "What happened?"

"Your daemon." Rae pants, hands on his knees. "They have him."

Right then Louis began to feel the growing itch in his throat, shoving up his neck and choking him. He coughs into the crook of his arm and follows after Rae as they sprint down the halls. 

Louis is pushed out the grand double doors that serve as entry to their home, onto the great grass plane where a rather large crowd is gathering. He shakes his head and tries to ignore the burn in his throat as he rushes to the eye of this mass population. 

He sees his daemon, efficiently named Ares, amongst the antagonists as they rope him in tighter. 

"Let him go!" Louis has to run to Ares' side or suffer major consequences himself.   
A daemon is strongly connected to their person, and if the line is cut then both sides fall to death. 

Ares sees him, and his jet black neck shoots up. Louis will admit he has a mischievous one at his side, but he loves Ares so much anyway and has spent enough time away during his Initiation. 

Ares is a dragon, a shape shifting one that will grow to monstrous sizes if his person needs that, or transform to a lazy size that would fit Louis' shoulder. 

Greg, the bounty hunter of their village, has two men holding Ares down by ropes around his neck and Louis could cry. His daemon is whimpering for help. 

"Is this yours?" Greg tugs on one rope and Ares snaps at the rope. 

"Shh." Louis calms the creature down by petting the side of its muscular neck. "It's alright now."

"This beast tore down seven tents of ours." Greg snaps. "And plenty more before."

Louis nods to be polite, his mother would skin him otherwise, before using a nifty blade to cut Ares' ropes. 

"I wasn't here before." Louis answers Greg. "I am very sorry for what Ares did."

"Control it." Greg steps in Louis' face. Ares is right there to stand behind Louis and push Greg back over his shoulder. 

Louis keeps a hand on Ares' neck when he whispers. _"Sitque."_ (Become small)

Ares obeys and whips around the air once before perching himself on Louis' shoulder and standing proudly. Greg's daemon, a lemur, is more confident now but won't be taking any chances. 

Greg leaves with his party and Louis sighs, ready to reprimand Ares when his mother comes riding in on her steed. She is wearing her favourite frown and stops right in front of Louis. 

"What happened?" She asks curtly. 

"Ares accidentally broke something." Louis paraphrases. 

She huffs out a breath and nods. "Tonight is the dinner. Are you ready?"

"I still bear his mark, Mother." Louis says sweetly. "I am still his."

"The mark will last until they step through our door."

"Then he will be here before that." 

Louis turns away from his mother, taking Ares with him as he mutters in a low voice to himself. 

_"Ego volo fugere."_ Louis instructs the daemon. (I want to fly)

Ares takes off in the direction ahead of Louis, makes a sharp U-turn and comes back as the giant that made people quiver. He bows his head and Louis climbs on, letting Ares take flight in the direction of his own choice. 

Harry was coming, Louis could bet his life on it. He could not deny that he already was.

  
* * * * *  


Harry won't live with his defeat. He _knows_ that he tried harder than anyone has ever tried to accomplish something. He failed after the last corner of the earth was scowered. He just gave up. 

He has begun to think Louis lied to him, fooled him into this game. Demons don't play games and Harry was slacking in his duties already. Lucifer allowed him to, however, because Harry pulled every favour owed to him out of a hat.   
He still had nothing to show for his efforts. 

Everyday Harry felt a tiny piece of himself shed and crumble to the ground where it would rot and the earth would mourn. His heart mourned everyday, his soul felt like a husk of something already too damaged to revive. There was truly nothing left for him. 

Harry went to all of Europe, travelled every underground and overhead path with Tim at his side. When times got tough, Harry used the magic of demonic persuasion to get his way. Nobody objected. He caused chaos when he fed, because he fed in herds now that he'd tasted the blood of Louis. Everything was so unsatisfying in comparison. 

"Are you about to let up then?" Tim and he were perched on a rooftop in Venice. 

"I feel like I shouldn't." Harry thinks he looks like a ritualistic statue, sitting here in his true form with his tail whipping about. 

"Where haven't you searched?"

Harry's throat yearned for sustenance, but he'd just taken three lives too many to listen again. 

"Only Heaven." Harry answers. 

"Then he is definitely there."

"He isn't light like that, Timothy. He is mortal and I felt it."

"There is no scent, Harry."

"I feel our connection though. He is here."

"Then find him."

"I have been trying!" Harry couldn't growl so angrily at his friend but Louis drove him to this, to shoving it all away and waiting just for him. 

"Nobody said anything about his mark? The ring?" Tim asks, completely unafraid. 

"None. Nothing."

"Louis said his people were quiet."

"Peaceful." 

"So where do quiet and peaceful live?"

"They don't exist." Harry mutters. "He must be the only one of his kind."

"I hear you already retiring in your mind."

"It hurts so much to search hopefully somewhere but come back dry. Empty handed and broken hearted."

"Isn't that what mating's about? Pain and sacrifice."

"It's about love and fate. Yet, I cannot find the boy I am destined to love."

"Are you abandoning this quest then, brother?"

"Would you shun me if I did?"

"My loyalties lie with you."

Harry smirks. "And yet everyday I am ready to offer my blood sister and mother up for Lucifer's sacrifice."

Tim laughs but stops short. "I need your answer."

"I am-" The loud swinging of a door interrupts him, and both demons spin around with fangs bared to take down whoever it was. 

They were hidden in the shadows, and so the lovely couple that stepped out of the stairwell did not see them. 

"We're leaving?" Tim backs off. 

"No." Harry tilts his head in interest. "Venetians are my favourite. Let's have one last bite before leaving, brother."

Tim is much too excited. "I've been bored all day. Give me him."

"I'll gladly take her." Harry's snake eyes turn yellow with blood lust and he licks his lips, cracking the skin with a sharp point of his tongue. 

They count to ten in Yiddish before springing, a tradition they thought would be fun since they teamed up for kills like this. The girl is obviously weaker and all Harry needs to do is snap her wrist for her to oblige him. The man screams and kicks, amusing Tim enough to have his cackle echo through the night. 

Harry pins her down to the ground, seeing the blood trickle out of wrist from where bone tore skin. Her tears were fresh and made his nostrils itch from the salt. 

"Please." She whimpers, closing her eyes and pleading for her life. "What do you want?"

Harry cocks his head to the side, straddling her and deciding if he should have fun first. No, he decides. Torture's fun but.....today's been a long day. 

The girl whose name he will never care to learn, opens her eyes for just a moment and catches sight of something interesting. The ring hooked on a chain around Harry's neck. 

"I-I can help you." She swallows back the bile lump in her throat and stops fighting underneath Harry. 

Harry hisses at her, but still wonders what she means. 

"Your r-ring." Her teeth are chattering with the chill of shock. "I-I know you want to know about it."

Harry thinks that's enough to convince him, but he's still cautious. _"Tim!"_

"Huh?" Comes the annoyed voice in the darkness. 

_"Did you kill him?"_ They spoke in their home language, known only to those who considered themselves Satan's children. 

_"No!"_

_"Then bring him here!"_

Harry keeps his knees on the girl's forearms but lays a finger on her broken wrist and it heals temporarily. This is enough torture, false hope. 

"Tell me what you know then." Harry speaks clear English, his face blocked by the masking shadow of a goblin statue. 

"Let me see it." She says calmly. 

"No."

"Then kill me."

Her boyfriend seems a lot less sure of what leaves her mouth, since he won't give up the struggle of wrestling in Tim's grip. Harry sighs and removes the chain, dropping it into her sweaty palm. 

"You will kill me after this, won't you?" She asks. 

Harry stares her in the eye and nods stiffly. 

"I know." She sighs. "This ring belongs to an ancient culture infertile people."

Harry frowns but keeps quiet. 

"It is the image of a _Hota_ which is their symbol of love. You love the person who gave this to you?"

Harry doesn't answer her. 

"To find them, you must go to the ice lands."

Harry's about to cut this useless conversation short because he's already been to Iceland when she says something else. 

"Not the human continent." She clarifies. "Find the most solid piece of ice on this planet and scratch it with this."

Harry has new hope ignited in his frozen chest and he gets off the girl completely. "I do not owe you anything for this knowledge."

"It was an honour for me to share, demon." She stands too, dusting her clothes off. "You may kill me now and never have somewhere to go with a question you can't answer again."

"What is a _Hota_?" 

"A creature of light and spring. It is....like a deer but white and has two tails."

"Why haven't we ever seen it?"

"Demon, it obviously exists only in their world. There is a universe within ours and sometimes it's all we can see, or we can't see at all."

"What is your name?" 

"If you kill me, what good will it do to remember my name?"

"I am not killing you now." He chuckles. "You will come with us to the ice lands so that I know you are not sending us to our ends."

"Why would I?"

"What reason do you have for helping us?"

The moonlight seems to not serve as enough illumination, and so this young female deems it fit to reveal herself entirely under the light of a fluorescent bulb. 

"Nobody will understand you more than I." She closes her eyes and waits for Harry's breath of repulse or acceptance. 

The former is breathed out after Harry has had a good look at the remarkable tattoo inked across her cheek and up her forehead. 

"You are one of them." Harry is confused between feeling relieved or antagonized. 

"This is the mating mark of a demon to one of my people." She smiles like her life was not threatened by the bloody hands of the Devil's right hand. 

"What do we call your people?"

She looks up at him with a crooked smirk. "The _Zohrai._ The Breed of Warriors."

**_[A/N: There's a trailer on the side because I have no life and friends. Have a look and tell me if it's good enough or plain disgusting....please? - S xx]_ **


	11. Chapter 11

**_[A/N: I have an ear infection and for anyone's who has ever had one, you'll know exactly how much it hurts. I didn't plan to keep this chapter from you guys through so I overdosed (don't try this at home, kids) on Aspirin and got it done. I love you guys and the support drives me insane with glee :) Enjoy!]_ **

_Pain is only relevant if it still hurts._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"Initiation, which is what you were on in the human world, is to find a destiny. A mate, a daemon, a job, anything." Alfred, Louis' close friend who lived in the library tower explains. 

"Initiation fails when we don't find anything." Louis' fingers pick apart the frayed hem on Alfred's table, the other palm flat against the mark Harry gave him, feeling it sink and disappear. 

"I'm sorry, Lou. Many have and turned out happy."

"But not all." Louis wipes his wet cheek. 

Ares sits on his shoulder, tail wrapped around Louis' neck and he nudges Louis' jaw in weak encouragement. He makes small noises to show his support. 

"They'll make me bond with Victor." 

"I've never met him."

"He's a monster." Louis curls up in his chair and Ares makes a whining sound. 

"Well, this Harry chap is a demon."

Louis frowns at Alfred but let's it go immediately. "I can't even go back."

Louis belonged to the world of the _Zohrai_ , where his markings and tattoos were visible to everyone. If he left here for anything other than his Initiation, he would die of their atmosphere because he couldn't adjust twice. 

"If you have faith in him then he will be here." Alfred promises with sympathy in his eyes and words. 

Louis breaks into a painful sob when he feels his neck smoothen out and his chest constrict, signalling the removal of Harry's mark and essence from him.

  
* * * * *  


Harry couldn't feel cold, it was just one of his advantages. Unlike Tim and he, the girl they have come to know as Rebecca is wearing at least four jackets. They were somewhere lost in the ice age of Canada where the hardest block of ice supposedly lay. 

"Are the Zohrai not capable of keeping themselves warm?" Tim teases and Harry ignores him. 

"We cannot do most fascinating things." Rebecca answers.

"Aren't you warriors?"

"We fight in our lands where the weather is consistently warm."

Harry thinks about whether Louis even liked warm weather, or if he'd prefer some cold. He frowned when he felt a tingling sensation in his chest, a place where only the younger boy ever touched. He ignored it after it faded. 

Rebecca noticed and secretly smiled. 

The blizzard has become much, much worse than any film could depict or as it was when they first began their quest. Harry turned to his true form and lit his skin on fire, slightly so because the snow would melt and dry up faster than he could blink that way. 

They stopped atop a berg on one of the highest formed mountains here, and Harry began thinking of ways to get to the center where the ice was perfect and aged. 

"Harry!" Tim called. 

"What-" He turned back to yell but ended up face down in the snow, caught in a net that burnt him rather than the other way around. 

Harry kicked and cursed, opening his wings where it was sharp to cut anything, but landed in a small pool of his own black blood when it sliced his wing. He didn't know what this net was made of, or who was doing this. He screeched but nothing happened, and then he was knocked out with a needle to the neck. The needle that to be doused in pure water for it to go near his skin.

  
* * * * *  


The hall looked grand and it took everyone's breath away, even Louis'. He had entered beside Victor, now obligated to every whim of that monstrous man. Louis was disgusted by him and will forever hate his mother for forcing him into mating with Victor. 

"Don't look so lost." Victor bends to say in his ear. "This is your home now."

Louis cringed and backed away, only to have Victor pull him back. The act was hard enough for Louis' forearm to ache now. 

He had Ares with him always, which Louis knew would be so great. Dragon daemons were extremely rare, because they were dangerous and incapable of being tamed. Or so they said. 

"Come." Victor pulled Louis' arm and he hissed. "Let me show you my sister."

Louis hated all of Victor's family because they were all filthy people with no common manners - or sense - but Louis' mom wanted to merge their clan with Victor's clan. Louis belonged to _Lithara_ and Victor to _Daytum Mata_. Both extremely wealthy with far too many differences. 

"I heard we have exceptional entertainment tonight!" Victor's cousin, Henry, kept giving Louis looks that made him uneasy. 

Ares would notice, as Louis' daemon that shared most emotions and a very strong bond, and hiss at the antagonists. When they laughed at the dragon, thinking it to be a lizard, Louis let Ares take reign and grow large enough to terrify them. Louis smiled at the polished floor and lost feeling in his arm when Victor dug his nails in. 

"Control him or I will end him." Victor threatens. The man's clan did not have daemons, because they were proud and arrogant. 

"Every injury that comes to him will land on me." Louis reminds him. 

Victor shoved Louis' arm away and the boy beckoned Ares from the air again to settle on his shoulder. They both got to the window pane where Louis sat length wise, covering his face as he cried. The tears were hot and burnt so badly, a sick feeling filling his chest as it went on. 

"Louis?" Someone touches his shoulder. 

He flinches and looks up at the gentle voice. "H-Hello, Swift."

Swift was a male cyclops with one big brown eye and a kind heart. They were made to be slaves but most were soft and warm to be friends with. Louis met Swift when he lost himself in the forest, and Ares had been trying to find him. Swift still carried the scar of Ares' bite. 

"What's the- oh." Swift saw the bond mark on Louis' neck and fell into the seat as well. "That's...well, congratulations."

"I wouldn't be crying if I was happy in the least, Swift." Louis snaps unintentionally. "I never wished death on another person but no world deserves to be plagued with his presence."

"Who is it?"

"It's Victor."

"Do you want me to....?"

Louis wipes his face with the cloth Swift gives him before sitting up. "I never want to lose you as a friend, and never want you to do anything so ridiculous."

"I'd be doing a service."

"Murder is still a crime and if anyone's killing him, it's me."

"At least you have the ball right now to distract you." Swift smiles wryly and leans against the window, cracking it with his weight. "Damn."

"Go ahead." Louis sniffs. "They can afford twenty more."

"Hey." Swift reaches out to take Louis' hand and notices the bruises on them. "Bastard."

"Don't trouble yourself." Louis covers his wrist and Ares nips at his finger to get him off. _"Quid est, Ares?"_ (What is it, Ares?)

The Lithara spoke to their daemons in Latin, which is the only language those creatures understood. 

Ares looks up at him, as tiny as the size of Louis' hand, and nudges Louis hand away with his head. He starts to make tiny groans and rub against the skin that's hurt. When he blows out a flame, it's green not red and heals Louis' slight injuries. 

"Daemons heal their Masters." Swift says, smiling at Ares when the dragon jumps onto his arm playfully. 

"I'm not his Master." Louis corrects, resting his head on Swift's shoulder. "He is my friend."

The chatter in the room dies down and gasps pick up, shocked murmurs and sometimes a shriek would ensue. 

"What is happening?" Swift asks, craning his neck. 

"I can't see." Louis mutters. _"Ares. Vide quid agatur in nobis."_ (Ares. See what is happening for us.)

The dragon shoots to a bigger size, about that of a small car, and flees to the highest point in the room. He watches the door and roars loudly when it opens, gaining the attention of everyone. 

_"Ares! Veni huc."_ Louis can't use his voice for this, and so summons the dragon through his mind. (Ares! Come back here.)

There were hunters in this room and though they couldn't see Ares if he didn't want to be seen, it's clear that the dragon didn't care now. The daemon let out a shrill cry but nothing had hit him, and he flies to Louis' side. He knocks many people to the ground and digs his talons into the wall above Louis' head, protective of the boy. 

"He is acting strange." Swift points out. "What is he protecting you from?"

Then the lights go out and everyone screams, Louis included. But a reassuring tail, much more muscular now, wraps around his waist to reassure his safety. He puts his hand on it and feels Ares' scales that have proven to be stronger than any metal. 

Some lights go back on, and that's when Louis smells it. Smells him, rather. It's foul to all other noses but it made Louis' heart swell with joy and fondness. But he had to see the condition he was in, Harry himself with chains and battered bruising. That was their entertainment tonight. They're going to watch a demon die. 

Louis' face drains of colour as he takes in the woman standing close to Harry, and another demon also in their true form. They looked almost identical but Louis knows Harry, can pick him out anywhere. 

_"Sit ire! Denique ego sum."_ Louis shouts at Ares, pulling the dragon's tail off him. (Let Go! I am fine.)

"Louis, stop that." Swift admonishes. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"Swift, that's him. I have to go to him." Louis pleads. _"Ares, sit ire!"_ (Ares, let go!)

Ares obeys reluctantly and growls low in his throat as he creeps behind him on the wall. Louis sprints across the room, seeing nothing but the stage Harry is bleeding on and hearing nothing but his own scared heartbeat. He gets yanked back but it isn't Ares. 

"What are you doing?" Victor's voice is full of venom. 

Louis' a warrior for a reason, he's trained to fight back but he couldn't find anything to pull now. A rippling growl soars through the room and everything stops. Louis glances back at the stage, pulling his arm back even though it hurts. 

Harry was looking right at him, eyes dark and full of pain now. He couldn't help himself because they'd used the river of pure water on those weapons and shackles. 

"Harry." Louis whispers it in a sweet voice, teary-eyed and biting his lip. 

Louis pulls his hand free, not caring for the jab of pain that spirals up from his ulna to his shoulder. He has his eyes locked on everything Harry. The alluring coal black shade of Harry's orbs; the very faint whimper Harry let out after transferring to his human form, meant only for his mate to hear. Louis did, he felt the pain Harry experienced like that of co-dependance. Everyone knew what pure water did, it weakened a demon until they were almost mortal enough to torture. 

Harry hears Louis' call like he's been waiting for that all his life, and he knows now that he couldn't be very wrong. He bares his teeth as he growls, still pointed and able to shred any amount of flesh. He wanted to help his mate get to him, but there was lead in his veins and every inch of his structure burned like he was bathing in holy flames. 

Ares did not intervene, having finally picked up the correct vibe from his person and settling for helping instead. He fanned out his two pairs wings and shoved many people to the ground in the process. 

Louis stumbled in his hurry up the stage staircase, trying not to trip and getting to Harry just in time. The demon feels it all too heavy and falls forward on his knees, but Louis catches him in slight tears around the middle. 

"Harry." Louis let's the demon rest all his weight on him, sitting on his knees and getting out a thrifty blade from his waistband - not at all meant for this initially. 

"I f-found you." Harry's arms go around Louis' much smaller frame when his hands are freed. 

"You did." Louis sobs into his beat up neck. He holds the blade to his neck, and slices over the mating mark given to him by an arrogant man. "Drink."

Louis goes to cut open Tim, without knowing him but recognising the demon anyway from Harry's apartment, but Ares was there and bit open the ropes. 

Harry isn't meant to say no, because Louis' blood would heal him faster than anything else. He stuffs his body full with Louis' scent before sucking around the open wound. The blood is sweet on his tongue, tinged with bitterness - they still weren't properly mated - and he can't hold his fangs back from poking Louis' skin. 

He grabs Louis' hips and hauls him onto his lap for easier access to his neck. He feels the repair spread and make every pained bit of him better, lighting his nerves with electricity. 

"Oye." Tim has to interrupt. A room full of misunderstanding and stewing anger was waiting for them. 

Harry licks the wound, healing it for Louis rather than waiting. His chest rumbles and an angry growl fills the room, much worse than the prior two. 

"Who touched you?" Harry asks, hands caged possessively around Louis. 

"Harry-"

"I did. Who are you?" Victor interrupts Louis' answer to Harry and the Omega frowns. 

Harry knew all about dominance, so he knew this apparently pathetic waste was trying to exert authority over him. He smirked and rose up, letting Louis stand on his own but holding him perfectly close in a chest-to-chest connection. 

"I'm his mate." Harry answers. 

Victor laughs, releasing the tension of everyone in the room but Louis just couldn't turn around and look for himself. 

"He does not bear your mark. In fact, he has mine." Victor smirks. 

Harry's true form flares from the ground up and Louis will turn into a frog if he's wrong about the soft peep Victor let's out behind him. He sees Tim over Harry's shoulder, who stops to smile at Louis before turning passive again. 

"Any false bond can be broken." Harry raises his chin. 

"What makes a bond false then?" 

"Did you skip school?"

Victor glares at him, especially so when Louis giggles into Harry's neck where he felt safe. He takes a breath and decides that hiding isn't very good anymore, so steps back to face Victor and the room. 

"A false bond is forged when people are forced to mate." Louis answers, just as Ares settles back on his shoulder. 

"Do you wish to humiliate yourself, Victor?" Harry's slanted grin expands as he tilts his head, letting the other Alpha have a nightmarish view of Harry's features. 

Victor never told Harry his name, nor had Louis. "There are rules, demon. You can't take him without following a procedure."

"Do you want to watch me try here?" Harry challenges. 

"What is going on now?" Louis' mom makes a treasured appearance from behind Victor. "Louis- What are you?"

She's always been blunt, everyone who knew her was aware. Harry directs his gaze to her, making her take an involuntary step back with the threat behind it. 

"What is the procedure then?" Harry asks loudly, his tongue forming English words oddly. "I am not in a gaming mood."

He pulls Louis to his side when Victor looks at him, turning the boy to look at him and rest his head on Harry's shoulder. 

"I just need my mate." He adds when his voice is softer. 

"They haven't physically mated. A bond, forced or not, can't be broken until after that." Louis' mom declares. 

Louis shivers and clings to Harry with small fists. "I don't want to be with him, Harry. _Please._ "

"Nobody is touching you but me." Harry assures him with a small smile and wink that nobody else notices. 

"A bond can also be broken when the first Alpha is challenged and killed." Someone throws in from the crowd, and Louis recognises the voice to be Alfred's. "No matter the stage the mates were at physically in the original bond."

Victor gasps along with the rest of the hall, before all those murmurs pick up again since this is a very public gathering. Louis sees many of the guests glare at him, some smile and others are already too drunk. He thinks he likes the third type most. 

"Oh fun." Harry smiles. "You obviously can't back out, Victor. An Alpha can't abandon their Omega. And _never_ will you get to lay a hand on my Louis."

"Fine." Victor is hiding the panic in the sick shade of brown of his eyes. "What means do you want to use?"

"He's good with his bare hands." Tim comments from the back, making Louis chuckle. 

He isn't afraid in the slightest because he is fully aware of Harry's capabilities. These fights are monitored and never allowed to turn filthy. Victor is from the monetary clan so his warrior training probably wore off. 

"Rules state-"

"The Alphas must fight with either a weapon or creature at their sides." Harry finishes for Victor. "We know."

Louis looks up with wondrous and admiring eyes, also blushing now that he's heard Harry go on about his world's conduct. 

"Had a lot of time to learn." Harry kisses Louis' forehead. 

He actually means the time he spent with Rebecca, though he'd love to find her now. The traitor will die by no hand but his. 

"I have a....vendetta with those of you who first kidnapped me." Harry suddenly says. "After this dual, I want to settle that grudge."

"What grounds have you?" Louis' mom asks, bored. 

"Kidnap." Harry frowns. 

"Didn't they get you here though? To be reunited with Louis?"

"I would have been here earlier and this dual would not exist had they left me alone. I am not asking for something out of this universe."

"Fine. How many people were involved?"

"Just one for me. Tim-" Harry points to his friend. "-will handle the three he asked for."

Tim is grinning like a madman when Louis checks. 

"This fight must happen tonight." Louis' mom says sternly. "My son is neutral until it is over and a winner is announced."

She grabs Louis' arm and Harry almost tears the skin of his hip when he doesn't let go. 

"No rule says that." Harry pulls him back. 

"I am his mother." She steps up blindly. "It's my rule."

"Then it's lovely to meet you." Harry smiles coldly. "But your rule is invalid. Victor can choose our means."

"Creature." Victor immediately answers, but pales afterwards when he realises what he's done. 

_"Ares."_ Louis brings the dragon away from his shoulder and holds him in his hand between their circle. _"Harry a latere, et stabis in proelio."_ (You will stand by Harry's side for this fight.)

The dragon understands and looks to Harry with a powerful glare. He opens his wings and flies to Harry's shoulder, making the male demon smile. 

"Louis, choose a place and time." His mother instructs. 

"Outside the library tower." He says, glancing at Alfred. 

Harry nods at him to confirm the time, like they could read each others' minds already. 

"Right now." His voice echoes through the hall for everyone to gossip about. 

**_[A/N: Okay so this story shan't be very longgggg like 426083545 chapters but definitely less than.....70? Or even 50, I'm not sure yet. So this story shall have violence and blood and sex so basically......yeah this is gonna be fun. Let me know what you think!! I know the fight's predictable but am I ever predictable? O.o]_ **


	12. Chapter 12

**_[A/N: If anyone's wondering how to pronounce this Ares it's like Air-reez. Song for this chapter is Out Of The Woods by Taylor Swift :) and can someone tell me the colour of Chris Brown's eyes? I love him but I just can't....see. Hmph. Please vote :) bc it's a tiny button but it makes me sooooo happy! And you know you guys can always just talk to me :) I may be extremely boring but I make a killer sandwich.]_ **

_Trust me, you don't want to feel what I feel._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

The rules were set and so was the ordeal. Louis wasn't allowed to be near either opponent directly before the fight that was due to happen right after Harry released him from behind a tree where nobody saw them. They weren't really concerned though, because they knew people were aware of their location. 

"At first, I thought you lied to me." Harry smirks down at the cornered and blushing boy. 

Louis furrows his eyebrows. "But I wanted you to find me."

"I know. It wasn't my best theory." Harry picks him up by the backs of his thighs and Louis covers his own mouth to keep in a loud giggle. 

"You had more?"

"Stop stalling. Do you not want to kiss me?"

"I really-"

Harry covers Louis' mouth with his own and presses his back against the tree, tugging Louis closer as the kiss got deeper. Louis locked his arms around Harry's neck and gave in easily. 

They both felt complete after such a long month-long waiting period of suffering. They were together now, and nothing felt raw and unpleasant any longer.   
Harry had to accept Louis' offer of clothes so that he could go back to his human form without wandering about stark naked for all to see. 

"I can't wait to show you my world." Louis grins, keeping his face a page's width from Harry's. 

"I want to see every bit of it." Harry kisses Louis' cheek, jaw and goes down the side of his neck where Victor's mark wasn't. 

But then Louis remembers something. "Harry?"

"Lou?"

"Will you....go back to the human world?"

"Well, I must." Harry pulls away to look Louis in the eye. "It's where my home is."

"Right." Louis smiles through the crack of his heart. 

"You're coming with me too, yes?"

"I-I..."

"Louis?"

"I can't go back. Physically _can't_ , Harry."

"Why not?"

"Besides for my one visit there as someone else's son, my body won't adapt to live in that atmosphere. I'd die."

Harry frowns and pulls away from Louis as he fumbles about inside his head, searching for a resolution or anything to say. 

"What does this mean?" Harry lowers Louis to his feet but keeps holding his hand, not ready to let go after waiting so long. 

"We can live here, Harry."

"But, Louis." Harry sighs heavily. "My kind doesn't exist in your world. Tim will go back, as will I."

Louis looks at the ground, tears filling his eyes. 

"Why wasn't this in all those rules you have?" 

Harry is bordering on hot anger. It rose to the surface everytime he was pissed off for long enough, or his limit was pushed. Why didn't he know this? Out of all the rules, the endless roles of conduct and behaviour. All their standards that they had, they could have at least informed him of this. 

"Would it have changed anything?" Louis looks up with glassy vision to ask the demon. 

"I would have figured something out." Harry nearly pulls his hair out when he rakes it away from his line of vision. 

"Harry, I won't ask you to stay if you don't want to."

"Good because I don't want to."

Louis nods and let's his hand fall to his side lifelessly. "I'll tell Victor the fight's off. Keep the clothes."

"What?" Harry's mind reels with shock. "Lou, no. I still want you as my mate."

"So do I but we can't be mates, Harry." Louis looks away when Harry pins him by his wrists to the tree. 

"We can." Harry insists, biting lightly Louis' neck but it doesn't leave a mark. "We can, Lou."

"I can't leave and you can't stay!" Louis fails at shoving Harry away. "I'm Victor's mate."

Harry growls and bites over the existing bond mark, knowing that Louis can't feel any pain. "You're _my_ mate. Not his."

"There are demons here." Louis whispers. 

"What?" Harry blinks. 

"We have demons because many of the Zohrai bonded with demons."

"Lou." Harry presses his forehead to Louis'. "I'm so sorry."

"I won't keep you here. If you want to leave-"

"Stop." Harry's fist collides with the tree and the entire system shakes. "I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to say that to you. I feared I wouldn't be allowed to stay since I'd be unreachable."

"The demons that are here did not change." Louis brushes Harry's cheek with his fingertips. "If you were worried about losing your habits, I can assure you nothing will happen to them."

Harry saw the desperation in Louis' eyes, the exact same desperation that was being held back so Louis could be a good person and not hold Harry back. 

"I only worry for you." Harry kisses Louis slowly to convey the feelings he had bubbling inside him. "I just don't want to live another moment without you."

Louis nods, letting the tears spill over that Harry wipes with his thumbs. "You will fight for me then?"

"I will _win_ -" Harry corrects. "-for you."

"Nobody speaks to the other demons because they're just as cruel as they were before. They talk to each other at private meetings in the woods sometimes."

"What about their mates?" Harry leans into Louis' soft touch. 

"They are friends of mine. I can introduce you." Louis is smiling widely so that the happiness reaches the glint in his eye as well. 

"I'd love to." 

The demon presses their lips together firmly once more, holding Louis by his hips. When Louis pulls back, Harry gives him a moment to breath before finding his lips again. It's been too long, too many hurdles have presented themselves and Harry deserves to have this quiet piece of living. 

"If we go any further-" Louis puts his finger to Harry's lips. "-then we will burn."

"What do you mean?"

"I am still another's mate. If we do anything naughty then the bond melts through me like lava."

Harry stares at Louis with wide eyes after hearing that. "Who made all these rules?"

"It's the way it has always been. Many people died to let us know what we do now."

"For demons, sex is an open thing even without mating."

Louis' forehead creases near his eyebrows when he frowns. He was holding back and Harry knew what. 

"I wish I could give you the answer you want to the question in your head." Harry swallows and smiles apologetically. "Not ever demon finds their mate before depression gets them."

Louis can do nothing more than sympathetically kiss the corner of Harry's mouth and giggle when Harry sticks the tip of tongue out there. 

"Louis, I forgot to mention something."

"What is it?"

"My-"

"Louis!" Swift emerges from the bushes with a red face and no air in his lungs. 

Harry has never met Swift, and so grips Louis tighter protectively before releasing a warning hiss. 

"It's alright." Louis assures him. "He's my friend."

Louis keeps Harry's hand in his when he asks Swift what's wrong and where Ares is. 

"They're asking for you. Victor is waiting for you." Swift pants. "Ares is in the open field. He will take us to the tower."

"Okay. We're coming." 

They had to hurry because Victor had a temper, though Harry cackled into the night sky when Louis informed him so. 

"He is a sheep." Harry smirks. "A sheep against a lion."

"Don't be so arrogant." Louis rolls his eyes when he mounts Ares' back. "He received the same training I did."

"I would love to see you in action one day, my love." Harry stretches up as Louis bends to kiss. 

"Ew, you two. Get on with it." Swift covers his eye and gets on behind Louis. 

"I have wings that need proper stretching." Harry smirks at them. "I'll fly right behind you."

"Not such a great idea." Swift points his finger to the skies of glorious navy that could feel like silk. "At night, the _Azrakel_ come out to feed."

Harry sighed and through Louis' pleading eyes, did he relent. Ares moved a lot, being a living and fire-breathing dragon, so it was a bit wobbly at first. Louis stuck to keeping the back piece of Ares' armour on all the time and now, a form of belt wrapped around Swift's and Harry's legs to keep them in check. Louis was Ares' rider, so he didn't need to be locked on. If he fell, Ares would do anything to catch him. 

When Ares landed, he stood tall and gallant where the fire's light shone best. He gave a rumbling roar just for effect, and Louis patted his neck for comfort. 

_"Nullus theatrales, formosus mihi."_ Louis whispered in a hollow beneath the flap of Ares' ear. (No theatrics, my lovely.)

There was a crowded circle of spectators, bearing no arms but such looks of uncertain inquisition gleaming in their eyes. The tower leaned slightly like an old friend to the willows and Louis could see Alfred's light was off in the library. Everyone was present for the fight. 

The audience was eager, if the least was said. They made noises and shouts of approval or disgust that went ignored by either fighting party. 

"Are there more rules for me to know?" Harry turned his attention to Louis, towering over the boy in the least intimidating way. 

Something flickered across Louis' eyes but it vanished into the depths of his mind before Harry could decipher it. 

"None." Louis smiled. "Ares can look after himself, as can you."

"This fight will be the fastest I've never been a part of then."

"Maybe."

"What do you doubt?"

"Victor's creature will be a _Caulron_. It is a....furry beast with six legs and no eyes."

"Sounds delightful." 

Louis laughs but it's as quick as a breath. "It will not come for you because creatures fight creatures. Victor chose that over a weapon, which was a very stupid thing to do."

"I see."

"If Ares kills the Caulron first, the fight goes on. If you kill Victor first, the fight ends."

"Interesting." Harry nods. 

"Do you have a question?" Louis peers up at him like Little Red Riding Hood did to the wolf. 

Harry shakes his head and furrows his brows in thought. When did a life like this start for him? This world has existed for millennia and he's been completely oblivious. He wonders if Lucifer knows or not. 

"Ares has never lost a fight." Louis interrupts him. "But if he is injured, you are not his partner to carry the hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter." Louis answers hastily. "Tim."

Tim it is indeed, who strode up to them and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Mate, I'm not leaving until this fight's done."

"You cannot intervene, Tim." Harry warns him. "It's my fight."

"Ugh, I know. I also have a debt owed to me. We'll collect then leave, yes?"

That's when Louis turns away from their conversation to prepare Ares. The dragon was just as arrogant as the man he was fighting with today, but this arrogance was favourable for Louis. Ares was a dragon who was so in public but turned into a type of kitten - not literally - when in Louis' company alone. Nobody could help it, they were matched since the day Louis opened his eyes for the first time. 

There was a generous rise in octaves when the crowd's noise got higher-pitched. Louis had Ares' head on his shoulder, weighing him down because of the daemon's full size.   
Victor had probably just walked through them, and the accompanying roar of a fine-toothed dark creature ran shivers up Louis' spine. 

"Love?" Harry put a warm hand on Louis' back to get his attention. 

Louis turns around and Ares emits a small sound of annoyance. "You haven't even met each other yet."

"It's nice to meet you, Ares." Harry chuckles and the dragon just huffs, straightening his neck towards the mountains' peaks. 

"He's....shy." Louis shrugs. 

"Of course."

Harry cracks the knots in his neck just for emphasis alone, and flexes his fingers before allowing his true form to spark. It ran from his feet up his legs and over his waist. The turn from human to demon was much easier than vice versa, hence the term 'true form'.

By the arrival of one player in the fire ring, the other was either present or forfeited involuntarily. The Zohrai prided themselves in the thoroughness of their games and fights. 

"The ring is fire." Louis whispers to Harry as they approach it. "Do not breach it."

"Understood."

Many people have moved back to stand at odd corners of the plane, needing the best possible angle of view for this match. 

"I don't know what the formal encouragement is for something like this." Louis blushes and looks down to hide it. 

"I'm sorry if I offended you earlier tonight." Harry tilts Louis' chin up with a bent index finger under his chin. 

"You did no such thing."

Louis is no longer affected by the harshness of Harry's exterior that came with his true form. It was near beautiful now and Louis feels like he wants to trace every feature with his fingertips. The wayward thoughts make him blush harder and avoid Harry's gaze. 

"When I come back to you-" Harry smirks, after having picked up on Louis' subtle physical attraction. "-I want to witness whatever fantasy you have in your mind right now."

But Harry can't stay any longer to observe Louis' crystal blue eyes turn smitten. Harry would love to show off his love and admiration for Louis too, and so he will that in the form of murder. 

Louis had to call the Phoenix to light the circle on fire. The bird chose how big or small the ring would be, which either made or broke the entire gamble. Louis was an inquisitive boy as a toddler and so wandered off many a time into the woods, but never the forest beyond. He has the Phoenix to thank for that, so maybe he got favouritism here. 

No armour was allowed for the two-legged fighters. The creatures were ordered to keep what they had on, no more and no less. 

The next twenty-seven minutes would be the most traumatic of Louis' life. He had his nails digging into everything he held: Swift's arm, Alfred's shoulder and even a tree trunk. When Harry yanked Victor's arm so forcefully it detached completely from his body, Louis felt the bond mark on his neck pulsate. 

Victor screeched and Louis' throat was painfully dry. He was staring at the fight through a gap in the cheering crowd, but his heart was still by that oak tree near his home. Ares had his mouth around the Caulron's neck, before he bit down hard and blood splattered everywhere with the crunch of bones. Its body sagged and Ares' jaw was dripping red fluid. The dragon wasn't vegetarian, and so naturally began to feed on his kill proudly. 

Harry's enemy was crippled and weakened by the loss of his daemon, but there still seemed to be some fight left in him. Louis was on his knees by now, unable to keep himself standing any longer with the stress raining down on him. Ares saw him so troubled and whined but couldn't leave the ring just yet. 

Then Victor cheated.

**_[A/N: @Larry_Life_69 I LOVE YOU TOO xx. Haha. @Gigglylou I'm hardly that fascinating lol but I love you toooo; the TV business won't take to me very well, love xx. @cstyles101 I see you as well :) not in a creepy stalker way, I promise.]_ **


	13. Chapter 13

**_[A/N: Woops. Wrong chapter was posted first. Forgive me please. Sorry about thattttt. So I got dissed by my supposed best friend about my Larry stories.....which sucks :(]_ **

_Demons aren't in Hell. They're right here._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

The crowd was confused judging by their dead silence as soon as the dagger came down. It was in total violation of the fight's rules. No weapons were allowed.   
Harry's back took a stab to the shoulder blade, and the blade was dipped in pure water so it easily penetrated his hard skin. 

Everything around everyone was dead, even the wind stood still in wait. Louis saw it all and the scream he let out in Harry's name was drowned out by the shriek Harry let's out. The fight was over as soon as a weapon was used and now Harry lost. 

Harry crumbled to his knees but clenched his fists and held the on-comers away. He was finishing this, and now that all the rules were thrown out, he was going to make a show of it. 

"Shouldn't have gotten cocky." Harry spits black blood at the flame and the entire ring turns red from orange. "Because now I'll have to kill you slowly."

Victor dropped the dagger and Harry eyed it speculatively before glancing at Ares. The dragon hurled it into the air with his tail, before blowing bright flames and destroying it. 

"I'll have fun though." Harry taunts. "I always do."

Louis is fighting the urge to stop everything because Harry's back won't heal unless Louis nurses it, only he can. The blood runs in a uniformed ravine down Harry's back, dripping onto the ground where it sizzles and kills grass blades when in contact. Demon blood killed everything. Almost everything. 

Harry lunges at Victor, pinning him to the ground just when Ares leaves the circle. It is no longer going to call for misconduct so the dragon goes immediately to its person's side, nudging Louis' cheek with its own. 

_"Est Licuit, Ares."_ Louis gets bumped continually until he's safely on Ares' back as a precaution. (It's alright, Ares)

Ares settles on the ground, accommodating the tight hold Louis' has on his neck. The dragon never wore armour, but in its primal brain it almost hopes to have had on some gear now. 

All eyes are on Harry, on Victor and trained on the ring of vivid red flame. It's the colour of a Phoenix's feathers, no doubt. 

When Harry had Victor on the ground, the demon didn't waste his effort with the matters of a usual brawl like most fights. He looked at his hands, where his nails had become clear razor claws. With a smirk that revealed too much horrifying teeth, Harry dug his fingers into Victor's throat. 

He didn't slice or scratch, he did what he has particularly enjoyed since first being initiated as a man of the devil himself. He dug into the flesh, and heard it being ripped as Victor's screams were choked off with blood. He felt it tear in his grasp and it was beautiful to him. 

When he found the jugular, Harry yanked it out like a coil of string. But naturally, the jugular veins are in a set and easily snapped between his fingers. Blood filled the open throat, like a bowl filling up and spilled over just when Victor's body took its last breath. 

Louis felt his neck throb painfully, and like a lightning bolt it spread to his chest until he was coughing repeatedly. It was the severing of a bond, caused by a mate's death. They never had sex, and so it didn't hurt even half as much as it would have if this took place a day later. 

Ares had his body rigid and upright, ready for flight as his rider's body was flooded with unsure negative emotions. The dragon growled and his eyes turned to slits. 

Harry was almost done, just give him a few more minutes. He got off Victor's corpse and wiped his mouth for no reason, smearing the blood of his latest victim all over his face.   
Louis thought it was over, so he took a deep breath of relief. But Harry crouched down again and Louis swallowed the uneasy lump in his throat painfully. 

Louis couldn't look when Harry moved next, most people couldn't. Even Swift had escorted Alfred back home with a mysterious glance at Louis and small smile. People in the crowd dispersed and threw dirty glances at the young lad like this was his fault. Louis didn't know there was blame to place, but even so, never was a demon's fight so horrific. 

Harry pressed his nail to Victor's torso after shredding his shirt, felt for where his sternum ended and pressed harder until it broke seven layers of deposits. He drew a fresh line down the middle to Victor's hips.   
He gave up gentility and fitted his hands between the folds of skin, prying it apart and not caring for the body's damage. It was already torn, ripped and bled out almost entirely. 

Ares fidgeted uncomfortably and kept nudging Louis' leg for guidance. Louis ducked behind Ares' neck, inhaling and exhaling as he rested his eyes.

Why was Harry so violent? The fight was over and he couldn't have anything left to prove. Louis had to have expected this, Harry is a demon. A very well aged demon who won't budge in his ways overnight. He'd already brought so much fear to Louis' fellow people, instilling the moral that he was ruthless. 

There was a wet slapping sound and then a round of outraged gasps. Louis peeked out and saw Victor slung up on a pillar of his clan, hung up by his own intestines. It would fall soon but for now, everyone got a good look at Louis' mate's capabilities. 

Ares was beyond discomfort now, he was agitated and with every step Harry took towards them Ares spread his wings further. 

When Harry was halfway across the distance, Ares looked over his shoulder and his long neck allowed him to bump Louis' hip. He whimpered but Louis was sat frozen in shock and disbelief. He never wanted this to happen, but now everyone thought he did. 

Louis wants to talk to Harry, but what would he say? He had nothing and his mind felt like it was being dipped in a hurricane's eye. He could fly off now and have a few moments to himself, but Harry would follow and defeat the purpose. 

No, he would face this. Tonight. 

_"Nec exinde pugna hac nocte. Moremini nocte hac nocte, cum Swift."_ Louis pats Ares' neck reassuringly. (No more fighting tonight. Spend the night with Swift.)

Harry's gotten to them by that moment, and Ares has just finished reading the complete seriousness in Louis' tone. The dragon would come only if summoned by Louis later, if the boy was in danger. The dragon let Louis dismount before he departed. 

"I am not going to hurt you." Harry looks more offended by his own words than he should be. 

"I know that." Louis smiles up at the demon, aware that he is still caked in blood at some regions. 

"Can I touch you?" Harry holds himself back from pulling Louis impossibly close to him. 

Louis bares his neck without a word of answer and Harry steps forward to stare at the expanse of unmarked skin. Unmarked for only so long, that is. He traces it with his fingertip and accidentally knicked a spot close to Louis' pulse point. 

"Drink, to heal yourself." Louis urges on, but Harry notices the trepidation present even in the boy with offering so hopefully. 

The demon ducks his head and grabs Louis' thighs in a vice-like grip to hoist up and around his waist. Harry drank only a little but enough to hold him. 

Louis hoped that Harry would remain civil enough to keep from fighting with others constantly, which could lead to injuries that Louis' blood alone can heal. He generates enough blood to keep him going and already donating so much should take an unhealthy toll on him. 

"I was told about a cabin." Harry starts, regarding Louis with a lot of concern. 

"Cabin?" Louis shifts in Harry's arms until his ankles are locked behind his back. 

"In the woods."

"We can't go into the woods, Hazza."

Harry grins so brightly it should even hurt his face, but he was still in his true form. 

"What is making you smile like that?" Louis runs his finger along Harry's prominent collarbones where it threatens to pierce his muscle and skin. 

"You are my mate now." Harry nuzzles his neck, causing him to bend his head at an angle. 

"And you are mine." Louis has turned bright red and thinks it's a fine contender for Harry's demon flesh. "You haven't bit me yet."

"I will as soon as we are in bed together." Harry jerks Louis upward on his hips to look him in the eye. "To our cabin?"

"To our cabin." Louis smiles into Harry's neck where he's hidden his face again. 

It wasn't so much a cabin, as it was a cottage. Harry previously had no way of knowing about it but after Tim went on a secret hunting trip with one of these fine locals, now he did. It was safe and open to let so Harry had a brilliant idea about purchasing it. 

The steps were creaking as they made it up to the porch, Louis giggling when Harry staggered and getting a sharp nip to the shoulder afterwards. He couldn't blame Harry since he was placing distracting kisses all the way along Harry's throat. 

"I'll make you pay for those." Harry growled playfully. Louis felt hot where he's never felt heat before. 

But once they were through the front door, the demon was in control again and after kicking the door shut with his leg he pressed Louis' back against it. He was finally getting what every part of him longed for, waited for and suffered craving for all this time.   
Louis' scent had been amplified and made Harry's throat clamp up near it so it wouldn't leave. He knew there was a bed in the second bedroom upstairs but that seemed like too much effort for right now. 

He held their bodies unimaginably close and crashed their mouths together like a total wreck. It wasn't meant to be so sloppy but Harry was greedy and Louis was willing to give him everything. He held Louis' head back and exposed his throat to suck and bite possessively.   
Louis groaned because it hurt at first but he got used to it and started absentmindedly grinding on a now human Harry. Harry moaned and found Louis' hands at his sides to pin above his head before rolling his hips into Louis' filthily. 

Louis let the room fill with small pants of his as he squeezed his eyes shut and felt Harry harden between his thighs. Harry grinded on him until they were near oblivion, but stopped because he didn't do all this to have it end so soon. Louis whined and tried to buck his hips toward Harry but the demon held his waist put. 

"Shh, my only." Harry tried to calm the string of incoherence leaving Louis' lips. "I'm going to make you feel amazing, love. So amazing."

Louis sighed into submission and let Harry carry him upstairs, feeling his pants too tight and it was starting hurt for his crotch. The bed had to be brand new because Harry could smell the packaging, but nobody lived here because the food in the kitchen has been expired for months now. 

At noticing the man's distracted thoughts, Louis scratched down Harry's chest lightly to regain his full attention. 

"I'm here." Harry kissed both Louis' hands before moving them further up the bed so Louis' head was on the ultra soft pillows. 

Without caring to ask, Harry tore through Louis' clothing so that the boy was entirely exposed to him. Louis didn't like the cold air reaching his private bits and making it uncomfortable, but Harry's body gave off enough warmth to save him. 

"Do not hide." Harry pulls Louis' arms away from his middle and chest. 

"Mate me." Louis blurts. 

"I promise I will." Harry's got his lips attached to every patch of skin going down from Louis' neck. 

"No." Louis wiggled and squirmed until Harry came back up to his eye-level. "You have to do it before."

He didn't _have_ to but Louis' heard stories of more pleasure when you're already mated, and the truth of self lubrication also. 

Harry looked into Louis' cerulean eyes that seemed to be gateways to another world of only beauty and innocence. He kissed where he wanted to mark, wrapped his arms all the way around Louis' middle like a cage and bit down hungrily with the teeth of his true form.   
He didn't need to fully turn just to use one feature of that physical form. 

Louis gasped and threw his head back when Harry reached deeper than necessary. It didn't hurt, nor was it numb. It was like a delicate pinch to the soul.   
When Harry drew back he licked his lips and kissed Louis sweetly until the problem of their eager bodies could not be ignored. 

"Mine." Harry growled and made Louis giggle. "No doubt about it now."

"There was never any-" Louis cuts himself off when between his legs turn damp. 

Harry inhales once and closes his eyes. "You smell incredible."

The demon seems to know what it is, and slips a hand between them to find the source of this. Louis fights to let Harry touch him, not because he doesn't want it but because he's never done anything like this and he's extremely nervous.   
Harry finds the slick coming from Louis' hole and bites his lip to keep from moaning again. The smell of it drives him crazy already and he can imagine what it tastes like. 

"I-It's when y-you're mated." Louis stutters, mindlessly rutting back on Harry's hand and tensing over when a middle finger enters him. 

"No need to open you up then." 

Harry lowers himself to have his head between Louis' legs, opting to spread them apart rather than be over his shoulders. 

Louis, in all his understanding but ignorance of sexual conquest, doesn't know what Harry's doing and let's out a shriek when he feels Harry's tongue _there._ His eyes rolled to the back of his head while his hips canted forward, forcing Harry to keep a hand on his hip.   
Louis didn't know what to do with his hands, and fisted the sheets until his knuckles were white from pressure. He moaned and whimpered as Harry tortured him. 

Harry kissed the insides of Louis' thighs, leaving little bite marks there. He licked a fat stripe over Louis' rim and felt the boy's body shudder. Keeping his finger pumping in and out of Louis' trembling body, Harry swallowed every bit of slick that escaped. He noticed that the flow got heavier when Louis was really close, and never let a single drop hit the bed. 

"H-Harr- Haz!" Louis could feel it building into something grand and something that would completely ruin him. His breathing was shallow and he couldn't see clearly. 

Unlike Harry, Louis won't survive two consecutive rounds without being completely exhausted. So Harry took mercy on the boy and pulled off his beautiful mate, crawling back up to him and kissing Louis' skin as he went. 

"I love you." Harry whispered into Louis' ear, while positioning himself to enter the boy underneath him. 

"I love y-you too." Louis felt like he had to say it in spite of his mind shutting down and leaving him with his most basic instincts. 

Harry pressed his lips to Louis' as he pushed in slowly, feeling Louis' warmth envelope him perfectly. The boy gasped and thrashed about with desperate shivers, the stretching burn feeling like he was being split in half. Harry kissed Louis all over his face soothingly and laced their fingers together before hauling Louis onto his lap as he sat up. 

Louis gasped and dug his nails into the backs of Harry's hands as he sunk deeper. Harry struggled with his inner self to keep from flashing into his demon form, knowing that such a case would definitely hurt Louis. 

"Oh." Louis had finally gotten Harry to bottom out, kneeling back on his calves and Louis on his lap. 

"Adjust, love." Harry brushes Louis' sweaty fringe away from his eyes. "Don't hurt yourself."

Louis blushed and released one of Harry's hands to wrap around his shoulders. "Move."

It still hurt but waiting wouldn't help, so Louis kept himself balanced while Harry thrusted up. Slowly at first, gauging Louis' responses of soft whimpers and choked moans but all pleasure and no real pain. Then he lifted Louis with them still sweetly connected, flattening his legs and keeping Louis in place. 

"What do you feel?" Harry held Louis down and rounded his hips fiercely, further stretching the boy and making him cry out. 

"F-Full." Louis pulled Harry in for a messy kiss. "So full."

"Of me." Harry slipped his tongue between Louis' lips and felt him go slack for Harry to dominate. "Only me."

Harry pulled from the kiss, and leaned on his palms that were flat on the bed. Louis raised his hips, already feeling sore, before dropping himself back down with a shuddering breath. Harry raised his knees to encourage Louis, battling to control his urges as Louis' velvety warmth engulfed him over and over as the thrusts got more vigorous. 

"Faster, love." 

Harry bit his lip and watched Louis obey. He sometimes fucked upward to surprise Louis and make him scream from smooth pleasure. When Harry's had enough and Louis' thighs shake from exertion, he pushes Louis flat onto the mattress and controls the rough penetration himself. 

Louis' nails scrape his biceps and lower back, but allowing Harry to lift his leg off the bed and onto his shoulder to change the angle. Louis clenched repeatedly around Harry when his prostrate was found and tried not to curse as Harry got more brutal. 

"You're taking me so well, sweetheart." Harry praised. 

Louis keened from his words and his back arched off the bed as he came, his orgasm ripped through his body and stole the air from his lungs. Harry felt close and continued to use Louis' body to fuck as he got to his end. The bed slammed against the wall over and over until he finished. He knew coming in any form other than his true form, would hurt a little and dragged Louis upward again into a seated position for an easier angle. 

Louis' body shivered until it got back to normal, and Harry got to see all those magnificent tattoos trailing up his body unrestricted. 

"Why won't you change?" Louis looked saddened when he gained enough energy to gaze into Harry's uncertain mossy green eyes. 

"I'll hurt you." Harry kissed his shoulder over the mating mark. 

Louis whined and pushed him off. "We won't fully mate until we do this in our correct forms."

Harry sighed and nodded. "Tell me if it gets too much."

"What do you- oh." 

Louis was blushing bright pink again, until it didn't stop growing inside him and he grimaced from the demanding stretch. 

"Lou?" Harry was ready to turn back. 

"I'm fine." Louis' voice was hoarse from the continual strain, something Harry's smug about. 

Louis felt impossibly wide now even though outside it was just the same. He released Harry's shoulder from where he nearly made the demon bleed and rolled his hips experimentally. 

"I can feel you-" Louis' awed voice made Harry move closer. "-here."

Louis took Harry's hand and pressed down on his belly, extremely low and Harry smiled before pressing their foreheads together and kissing him. This will forever be the greatest moment of his life, when he found the person willing to kiss his true form and blush about feeling Harry's expanded dick in his lower tummy. 

When their mated marks came, a contribution from Louis to Harry, they didn't feel it. Louis smiled at brushed the tattoo that ran from Harry's temple to his jaw, and Harry mirrored the action on Louis' face. The mark was beautiful and would be part of both their forms, something they couldn't hide at all. They never wanted to. 

Louis hummed happily and wiggled his hips once more in Harry's lap, before the demon turned into human Harry but kept their private union the same. 

"You like my two-pronged dick more than I do." Harry smirked at the boy. 

"Two-pronged?" Louis' eyes turned to saucers. "Don't know why you hid it from me."

"Don't start something you can't finish, sweetheart."

**_[A/N: I have literally been biting my nails waiting to write smut for this book O.O and now I feel all weird bc what now? Haha the war shall come. Thank you CbRihLarry for the Chris Brown answer; big love! And Hiiiii there to RosesAndDaggers lol I apologise about not castrating Victor for you o_X]_ **


	14. Chapter 14

**_[A/N: IN HONOUR OF LOUIS' BIRTHDAY omg he's 23 and that's really emotional for me :') :') Who's excited??!! I don't celebrate Christmas so I'll go to town for Lou's birthday. So I won't post for the rest of the week until maybe Saturday, because no other chapters are ready as yet. Guyssss this story has 3.5K reads but 350 votes which is odd, right? Please vote if you like this story, because if you don't like it then voting would be weird. Merry Christmas, you guys! - S xx]_ **

_I had to meet the devil just to know his name._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Due to Harry's inability to actually sleep he stayed up with wide, untired eyes and watched Louis. The smaller male had just grabbed the comforter to cover his front in time before closing his eyes. He slept half on his front and his side, kicking one leg out of the sheets for a moderate body temperature. 

It was then that Harry decided to make sure he hadn't hurt Louis during their two rounds of fantastic love-making. It was another bonding aspect, that the two mates stole every chance to be one when the mark was fresh. 

Harry kissed Louis' temple, over the very intricate tattoo indicative of their courship. He pulled the covers off Louis but made sure to stay close and share his own body warmth. 

He's not surprised but still upset to see so many marks scattered across Louis' skin unevenly. There were several bite marks that were going to fade into faint scars soon as they healed, on Louis' legs and shoulders. The bruises imprinted on Louis' hips were no joke.   
Harry sets about gently pecking each one before grabbing Louis' waist when he moves. It was a reflex and reminded him of Louis' faked injury that even fooled him. 

It was at eight the next morning when Harry felt certain movements come from Louis as he was roused from slumber. 

"Good morning." Harry was eager to wake up and spend the day with his mate. 

Louis was still between folds of sleep, and mumbled something before cuddling up to Harry's side lazily. 

"Wake up please." Harry kissed Louis' forehead. 

The boy shifted and rolled over, covering himself up in a cacoon of sheets. Harry chuckles and sidles up to Louis' back, enveloping him in a warm embrace before attacking selfishly. His hands crept under the comforter and brushed Louis' sides, making him grumble and shuffle away. He was ticklish, and Harry was going to take full advantage of that. 

"Harry!" Louis jolted awake when he felt Harry's hands at his sides, torturing him with tickles. "Stop, Harry!"

The demon cackled and fell into Louis' loud laughter. "Sorry. I was lonely." 

Louis wanted revenge but demons weren't ticklish so he'd have to find another way. Maybe by keeping something away from him. 

"I'm tired, Hazza." Louis spoke into the pillow. 

"From what?" Harry tried, cheeky smirk upon his visage. 

Louis threw a pillow at him and rested on his stomach again. "It's all your fault."

"I wasn't too rough, was I?" 

"Nope." Louis drops to the pillow and tries to fall asleep again. 

"My love, I want to leave the cottage and see things. I can't go alone."

Louis hums and says nothing else, eyes already half closed. Truth is, he wasn't acting. With the blood he lost yesterday, and their intimate time, exhausted him. So when Harry's hand started trailing down his body, Louis blushed and hid his face but did nothing. He had a plan, and he only hoped he could stick with it. 

"We can see the goblins today." Louis grinned, reaching back to gently fend off Harry's hand and push it away. 

Harry frowns and grips Louis harder, already feeling the start of something suggestive building. "Goblins?"

"Hmm." 

Louis lays still enough to tempt Harry again, but shuffles away casually everytime the demon gets close to what he really wants. 

"Aren't they......-" 

"Disgusting." Louis cuts off his Alpha. "But they're so sweet and hardworking."

"Ah." 

Harry thinks he can hold back for now, because Louis clearly had a resolve here. Alphas were customarily more demanding and Omegas never disobeyed. 

"It's a long way to their territory but we can take the horses." 

Louis pushes off the mattress with his arms, his body's creaky muscles flex and the delicious soreness that came with was very satsifying. 

Harry might lose his head, since it was such that he would be madly wanton for physical love from his mate. Fresh bonds did that to them. "Lou."

"Yes?" Louis bats his lashes with the most innocent look he can muster. 

Harry's undeniably hard under the duvet, but being on his side was helping to disguise that fact. He makes a grab for Louis and the boy laughs when he's pushed onto his back. There goes two rounds of willpower. 

"Goblins have the best beer too." Louis tries again, them both knowing there's no victory for him right now. "Don't know how they do it but-"

"I do not want to talk about goblins while we make love." Harry is working on an artful bruise positioned close to Louis' clavicle. 

An audible gasp releases into the air from Louis when Harry's cold fingers work with profound agility towards the skin between Louis' legs. The Omega squirms but can do nothing but allow his mate the chance to feel him up. 

Harry wasn't expecting complete disaster when he inspected Louis' previously untouched hole. He dropped to his stomach between Louis' thighs and the Omega parted his legs as eager welcoming. He was panting heavily and finding restraint difficult to locate as he groaned. 

Harry stopped staring in time to notice that the ring of flush muscle was a little swollen, very red and already damp. The demon was eager to taste his perfect mate again, his sweetness and the tinge of bitterness.   
He pushes Louis' legs away at the right angle and propping his hips up on a pillow, testing the flexibility his Omega possesses. 

Louis was clean shaken everywhere, showing off all his golden skin and making Harry feel like he was alone with his personal sun. He sunk his teeth into where he hopes the skin tastes warm like it looks, making Louis writhe but moan at the same time. 

Being the Alpha that he was, Harry couldn't wait any longer and slipped a single finger into Louis' wetness for preparation. Louis was getting harder by the second, and it was clouding his mind. Blindly reaching a hand to wrap around himself, he gets the cold treatment when Harry thrusts three fingers in all at once and removes Louis' hand. 

Louis cries out and fists the bed sheets as an alternative. Harry takes out one finger and works the other two deeper until he gets a good enough flow of Louis' slick. He pulls Louis' cheeks apart and nuzzles his perineum until he's satisfied with the external pressure to Louis' prostrate.   
Moving his fingers faster, curling and scissoring them until his wrist aches, Harry laps at Louis' leakage. The supply seems to never cease and he thinks it'll be the saddest realization if it ever did. 

Louis' a mess on the sheets, lying on his back and feeling the heat roll against his skin. The want was developing into need and he tugged on Harry's soft hair. The demon does budge, but does something with his tongue pointed jabbing at Louis' insides that makes Louis scream and come in white ropes across his chest. 

His legs snap closed around Harry's head and the Alpha doesn't let up, instead becoming more eager and keeping his free hand on Louis' thigh. When Harry abruptly pulled away Louis whimpered and let his mate go on prying his inner thighs away only to be hooked around his waist again. 

Louis was getting sensitive from his first orgasm but still bucked against Harry as an invitation. He never went into heat or anything, because wasn't that type of Omega, but he could get pretty needy sometimes. It was a hard time when they did because they wouldn't have an Alpha to assure them that they are loved. 

"I've got you." Harry whispers into Louis' ear, thrusting once into Louis and bottoming out. 

Louis can do nothing but whine, it's the whine mates use to ask for attention and he's never used it before. To outsiders, it was just a high-pitched wail. 

"I'm here." Harry laces their fingers together, pressing them into the mattress as he started to move. "I love you. I'll prove it to you everyday."

Louis' eyes flickered into focus as Harry drew out and pushed back in slowly, and even if Louis wanted him to go faster nothing was said. Harry went at a cautious pace, but he thrusted deep and _hard_. Louis' legs would pick up an inch with every heady push.   
He filled the room with tiny 'Ah' sounds that spurred Harry on, but he was going gentle for a reason. He groaned and dropped his head to Louis' neck, kissing the hot skin and sweat away as he got lost in the tight heat he was engulfed in. 

"Can I change?" Harry asked, not knowing that he did with a sound mind. 

For the first time in a long time, Harry didn't feel worthy. He wanted to make his Omega happy in so many ways but he just didn't feel like he could. If he changed, it would put the rest any doubts that Louis loves him eternally. Nobody wanted to be intimate with a demon when they were in their true form. 

"Yes." Louis' back arched and he nodded vigorously. "Please, Alpha." 

Harry presses their lips together and doesn't move a centimeter away, just letting the nature of his old ways click into place. Louis feels Harry's lips flatten into nothing but slightly sticky skin. His fingers stopped feeling smooth and pale skin, rather switching to rubbery texture of a demon's outer layer.   
He felt Harry become uncertain and his thrusts stop completely. Louis wraps his arms around Harry's neck and keeps their mouths attached in a kiss, erasing Harry's security. 

The demon releases a deep breath and holds Louis' waist with his dagger fingers. He didn't notice when the sharpness of his nails cut Louis' gorgeous skin, because the Omega did nothing about it. Harry's idea of Louis' favorite feature of him begins to expand noticeably and Louis needs to breath so he can adjust. 

Louis waits for the method of double penetration to stop growing, before moving his hips and getting Harry to do the same. 

Their space was so small, hot and filled with just their sounds. Louis' exquisite body shifting under Harry's as they lost themselves to each other. It was about acceptance this time, and Louis felt his true form float to the forefront as well. 

Harry's tongue was odd-shaped now and he didn't deepen their kisses but Louis mewled and insisted. The demon was cautious about his teeth, but Louis didn't mind any aspect of it. There was no part of either not exposed to the other as they made love. Louis' blue eyes opened to meet Harry's onyx ones, totally unafraid and in love with his Alpha. 

Harry felt their bodies metaphorically mold into one, looking so much like enemies. Louis was filled with light and innocence; Harry was a creature of physical darkness and not a trace of gentleness. But the demon worshipped his mate, and would never intentionally hurt him. 

With slow, perfectly aimed thrusts Harry found Louis' prostrate and brought one of the Omega's legs to throw over his shoulder. It shifted the angle and Harry loved it, he felt how Louis' body enveloped him in pleasure without trying too hard. He kissed over their bond mark and over the tattoo on Louis' temple. 

He maintained his thrusts and grew too close to the edge to keep up a leaisurely pace. He groaned and started moving faster, letting the double knock to Louis' special spot push him over. Louis spilled between them and marked them both in his scent. Harry fell apart with Louis' name on his lips and started to fill the boy up with his product. 

They let air refill their lungs and their heartbeats fall back into proper synchronization. Harry moved to hover over Louis, careful of the knot formed between them that was still in play. Louis dropped his arms before lifting one hand to trace the tattoo that was symbolic of their bond on Harry's face. 

The demon leaned into Louis' hand and kissed his wrist. Louis smiled after swallowing the taste of blood in his mouth. 

"Hi." Louis meets Harry's eye and takes a moment to appreciate all of Harry's true features. 

"Hello there." Harry bumps their noses together, though his his very Voldemort-like. 

"You uh.....-" Louis was blushing and shifted his hips with Harry's so they weren't uncomfortable. "-have a lot to give me."

Harry chuckles and it sounds terrible in the demon voice. _"Eh sun durin na lae."_

Louis tilts his head on the pillow with a small smile lingering on his lips. "I don't know that language."

"It is _Zushin._ The language of demons, my mother tongue. I said, I love you that much."

Louis giggled and Harry dropped to his forearms to be closer to that magical sound. 

" _Hye lee bopan nayat. _How many languages do you speak?"__

__Instead of feeling inadequate at a time where he was ignorant of a language, Louis beamed like an excited newborn. "Can you count from one to ten in demon for me?"_ _

__Harry smirks and pecks Louis' lips once before starting. _"Pel. Ork. Nor. Nag. Zec. Dus. Dussen. Vel. Nit. Deg."__ _

__Louis figures it's easy enough to remember and recites the number as his answer. _"Zec."__ _

__" _Na ruiden._ That is impressive."_ _

__Louis smiles. "Will you teach me to speak Zushin?"_ _

__"It is not recommended that anyone who isn't a born demon speak Zushin. The language itself is cursed."_ _

__"Has anyone non-demon ever spoken it?"_ _

__"Centuries ago. A human, it was." Harry frowns at the recollected memory. "It did not end well."_ _

__"I feel disadvantaged. You speak my language and yours."_ _

__"I don't speak Latin."_ _

__"I only speak to Ares in Latin. When I found him, it was in a pillaged town of Latin natives. I had to learn how to talk to him."_ _

__Harry nods in understanding. "I'm sorry I cannot teach you my language fluently. I can give you some phrases, if you want."_ _

__"Really?"_ _

__"But you cannot say it around others. Just when we're alone."_ _

__"I promise."_ _

__Louis watches Harry change back to his lesser fancy human form and pull out of him, making him hiss at the notably greater change in sensitivity. He felt stretched extremely and when the expansion of Harry's member disappeared, his body readjusted._ _

__" _Eh sun durin._ I love you, Louis." Harry moves them to a portion of the bed that's not moist. _ _

__" _Eh sun durin, Harry._ "_ _

__**_[A/N: What just happened? O.o So the demon language is not translated off Google bc I wanted something totally original, therefore the demon speech is from my brain. This chapter wasn't meant to have smut....*cue tumbleweed* I cried for this smut. I don't know why but :'( So I'm going to experiment a bit with the smut, not like BDSM experiment, like wording and things so if it gets disgusting let me know PLEASE or I won't know. You guys love my smut and that genuinely makes me smile until my brain hurts. I love you all like you'll never understand, my special ones. ]_ ** _ _


	15. Chapter 15

_From even the greatest of horrors irony is seldom absent._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"Lou?" Harry was leaning against the bathroom's door frame, waiting for Louis to exit the shower cubicle. 

"Hazza?" Was his reply, slightly muffled by the healthy flow of water. 

"I need clothes."

The water gets cut off and Louis steps out with a thoughtful expression, gasping when he notices his mate _really_ needed clothes as he stood there in the nude. Harry wraps the waiting towel around him just as an excuse to hold him. 

"You can go get your own clothes if you want, but you have to come back." Louis' has his hands helplessly squashed between their bodies. "Or you can have new ones."

"Well, Tim goes back today so he can handle my place. Where do I get new clothes?"

"I'll take you to the man who does all my clothes."

"People make clothing here?"

"It's a world without money. Questionable, I know." Louis thinks about how little Harry knows regarding his homeland. "Yet wealth still exists. Here, money stands only for status and isn't used to pay for anything."

"That's freaking incredible." Harry trails off. "Do you have a foreign exchange office?"

Louis laughs at the point behind Harry's question and nods. "We do."

"Then I should go back." Harry sighs, pressing his lips to Louis' forehead. "I'll go get my clothes and money."

"Okay. When you get back I'll take you to goblin territory."

"You really love those guys, don't you?"

"A lot of my friends are there." Louis defends. "How long will you go for?"

"An hour, at most. We should find out whose cottage this is so we can buy it from them."

"It doesn't belong to anyone. When a building is owned, there is always a mark on the door."

"Hmm. What kind of mark?"

Louis shrugs. "The mark of their family lineage."

"So what mark do we put on our door?"

"We can put our bond tattoo." Louis combs Harry's hair away from his face to indicate the irremovable marking. 

Harry and Louis left the cottage with two hours left for noon. Louis noted how close it was situated to the river, a distinct river that kept their woods away from the dark forest that was forbidden to them. Nobody's ventured in there but Louis' never been more curious about anything. 

Ares was in the open field with Swift by the huge log close to the opposite end. Tim was there too and Louis began to feel guilty about making them wait. Swift's daemon, a domestic Cazhrin - a horse capable of swimming in the deepest sea and flying above the tallest mountain - was sitting beside him. 

Louis' daemon lifted his head off Swift's lap and stumbled off the wood barrier to get to him. The boy laughs and releases Harry's hand to embrace the clingy dragon. The creature shrunk to the size of Louis himself and hung onto his shoulders before growling at the two new marks on Louis' skin. 

_"Tu quoque adfui, Ares."_ Louis greets. (I missed you too, Ares)

His head is nudged a bit to the side when Ares shrinks further and fits himself into the crook of his neck, tail wrapped around it. 

Harry chuckles and watches Tim approach him. "Looks like you don't want to leave."

"Did you hear about the money thing?" Tim looks both shocked and excited. 

"I did."

"It's absurd!" Tim's shoulders slump. "I want to live here. What do you say, Louis?"

"I say you need a better reason than that to move here." Louis answers, finally looking up from his daemon. "We have rules, you know."

"And tons of them." Tim jokes. "Alright, I gotta go."

It was arranged that Tim and Harry had to go back to where they once lived, so that Harry could gather his things. Swift was eager to help clean up the cottage until he got back, being both assisting and protective. Many strange lived in their woods. 

"There was no food in the cottage but please eat." Harry says to Louis before he gets dragged off by Tim. 

"Yes, darling." Louis teases. "And I love you."

" _Eh sun durin._ " Harry cups the side of Louis' face, bending simultaneously to connect their lips. 

Ares gets bumped a little and rather than sensibly moving to the other shoulder or ducking, the dragon blows a small but still painful flame at Harry's cheek. Harry takes it better than expected, and pulls away from his mate to glare at the dragon but say nothing as he rubbed his cheek and it healed over. 

When they set off, it had to be from where Swift told Tim to be. The cottage needed a lot of work so Louis wanted to start that, without eating yet but he wasn't even hungry. When Louis spun on his heel to go back, he was met with the sight of the tree Victor had been hung on the previous night. It was burnt white and the black powder of historical flames still remained on it. 

"What happened to that tree?" Louis asked Swift as they took off towards the cottage. 

"I knew you'd notice." Swift sighs. "Someone burnt it."

"Who?"

"Don't know. Nobody touched that place and this morning, it was white as ash. The people think it was your Harry."

"Why? No. Harry was with me all night."

"I believe you but you have to sleep, don't you? Demons don't sleep."

Harry was really gone for an hour or so and the cottage looked perfectly neat, with food and alcohol as well. They won't take all the credit because they called Alfred and asked for multiple favours in the forms of tidying spells. Ares burnt all the rubbish, and Swift helped with dusting the furniture while Louis painted their revered bond mark in white paint on the blue door. 

There was a rustle to Louis' left and he froze his movements. Following the noise was limping footsteps. He knew the person or creature was limping because Louis did have a job training beasts for matches that raked in lots of useless money.   
He set down the paint tin and rose to his feet, stepping off the porch and onto the mossy ground. 

A thorn bush shifted right in front of him, and he knew the creature was big. There was rarely ever fear present in Louis when he lost himself to curiosity, and now was one of those times. He reached out, pricking his fingers but not bothering which was too risky considering he doesn't know what this is. 

Out of the bush jumped a _Gaxin_ and Louis falls back onto the dried leaves with a pounding heart. Gaxins were _not_ friendly. They aren't allowed on this side of the river from where they originate in the dark forest. With a serpent tail and the fire element as birthrights, Gaxins chose to be vicious and never spared when hunted. 

Ares is Louis' daemon for a purpose, and so dutifully leaps in front of his person to protect him. But Louis was observant even through petrification, and when Ares grew to a large intimidating size and snapped at the Gaxin with jaws to shred, he screamed. 

_"No! Nolite interficere eum, Ares!"_ He got to his feet and yanked Ares back by the thick thread of iron attached to the dragon's armour. (No! Do not kill him, Ares!)

The dragon growled and kept his head over Louis' shoulder but could never disobey what was asked of him. Louis got a clear view of the Gaxin's tail when it reared it's head to defend itself. The serpent wasn't there, cut clear off and that is unusual because a Gaxin can heal any part of itself without help in seconds. It still dripped blood, and the creature was clearly feeling the pain still. 

Louis took a deep breath and stepped forward, nudging Ares off when the dragon tried to haul him back. The Gaxin's golden eyes narrowed and he huffed out big breaths through his nostrils, growling deep in its throat to warn Louis off. 

"Well, hello there." Louis always spoke to his beasts, knowing they never understood him seemed to make him more determined. 

Ares emitted a groan of distrust when Louis got closer to this foreign beast that seemed to be softening. 

"You're hurt." Louis says again. 

The Gaxin bares its teeth scratched the ground with it's mega front claws. 

"You know I won't hurt you." The boy's voice is soft, endearing. 

This beast rubs its snout in against its own knee and looks back up with slitted eyes. 

When Louis was certain the Gaxin won't make an attempt to kill him after eight cautious forward steps, he is proven wrong by the creature's sudden act of snapping it's jaw inches from Louis' face and taking off. 

Louis sighs heavily and returns to Ares with a quick shrug. " _Et non poterat ibi morietur, Ares. Non faciam volo quod._ " (He will die out there, Ares. I do not want that.)

Ares creates a small whine as he understood, blowing out air that brushes Louis' hair back. The dragon nudges Louis' forehead with his own, before the boy laughs and pets his neck reassuringly.   
The dragon turns his head around to unhook the brace Louis has to wear, and brings it low enough for Louis to take. 

_"Egone?"_ (Must I?) 

Ares huffs and Louis sighs before slipping the bracelet onto his wrist. They watch it grow into a fanned out black glove with the sign of his bloodline and now his bond. It enabled him to grow a suit on his body that would protect him or call Ares if they were too far apart; it could call the element of Louis' lineage - earth - or produce his favourite weapon, the whip. It was a tool of battle and each warrior had their own customised. 

"Louis?" Swift steps out of the front door, wiping his hands on his pants. 

"Um. Yes?" Louis silently asks Ares to make himself pocket-sized again to sit on his shoulder. 

"We should get something to eat now."

"Oh, yes that would be a good idea." Louis nods. "Let's do that."

With a bitten lip, Louis follows Swift back through the trees varying in size and type. Up until he's in the field again, headed for the monstrous building that held a cafeteria. They didn't have to go there at all, they could ride their horses to the excitement of a friendly pub, but Louis didn't want to stray too far away until Harry got back. 

This building was for the highest ranking in battle affairs, but Louis never got chased for attending. He trained all the army's beasts with Swift, and had his own stable set up on the other side of the field's trees. 

Their tradition was going to the different parts of the court and getting for both of them, it worked faster that way. Ares and Swift's daemon, Faebler, clamber to a corner table to reserve. They weren't out of place because several warriors were in here with their own daemons as well. 

"Lou! Apple?" Swift calls from across the food station. 

"Yes please!" 

Swift creates a master swing and flings it in Louis' direction and when the boy makes a grab for it, it's snatched up by another hand. Someone blocks his eyes, evidently the same suspect who took the fruit. 

"Guess who?" A silky voice asks in Louis' ear, making him shiver. 

"You stole my apple." Louis can't help but blush at Harry, call him dorky but he's never been a happier man. 

"You stole my heart. We're even." 

Louis shakes his head. "An apple to your heart. Well done, Harold."

Harry wraps the arm from Louis' eyes around his waist and places his chin on Louis' shoulder by their bond bite, kissing it once before just watching Louis gather food. 

"So, where are your things?" Louis asks, trying not to focus on Harry's body heat radiating onto his from their close proximity as he selects several feta cheese blocks with olives for salad. 

"Dropped them off at the cottage and followed your scent here." Harry hums. "Trying to get myself acquainted with this place."

Louis thinks about the rogue Gaxim still wandering the woods near their cottage, and now it knows he will be there. The thought of Harry coming face-to-face with it makes him shudder and the demon holding him close picks up on that. 

"Love? What is it?" 

"Haz, there are lots of creatures you've never seen before that live around us. I'm worried about you getting hurt before you can handle yourself here."

"Handle myself?"

Louis sighs and turns around, feeling Harry's retraction from him like a powerful vacuum. "You haven't trained with these animals. They're fast and strong and those that aren't mine won't hesitate to hurt anyone."

Harry looks at him expresionless for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright. But you have to teach me how to _handle myself_."

Louis rolls his eyes when he sees Harry's joking manner. "Oh let it go."

They sit at a small round table to eat lunch. Louis has a tray consisting of salad, chicken soup - something he only eats if the lady present in the kitchen today makes it - with crackers and a bottle of their local mineral water. 

"Have you been to the goblin territory recently?" Swift asks Louis. 

"No. We planned to go today actually. Why?" Louis was left to eat with one hand after Harry kept the other to himself. 

"Apparently two of their clans are in a huge conflict."

"Which ones?"

" _Dortha_ and _Metraal_."

"What happened?" Louis nibbles on a cracker. "Dortha never fights."

"Yeah, well." Swift shrugs. "I don't know what about. If you're still up to going, we can find out."

Louis and Swift were adventurous, no doubt in anyone's mind about that. Sometimes they went too far and got hurt, which will not sit well with Harry now or either of their daemons. 

"Hazza?" Louis squeezes Harry's wrist to get his attention. "What do you say?"

"I don't mind, as long as it's safe for us." Harry responds coolly. 

"We're going then-" There's a thunderous roar that interrupts him and Louis grips the edge of the table until his fingers turn white. 

"Never a boring day for us." Swift sighs. "Let's go deal with it."

"That really didn't sound like something you should be around." Harry holds Louis' arm in a vice-like grip that he can't escape. 

"It's the least frightening thing, I promise. It's a troll." 

"How do you know?"

"We've handled many of them."

Harry reluctantly follows them out of the building and Ares bloats up to a ghastly size and appearance right next to him. The dragon's bigger than any building, if he wants to be. 

Not many people were outside, in fact every visible person was scurrying away to the edges of the woods to hide. The troll was well above ten feet tall with grey brick skin and an axe to match. Louis' Alpha was growling and not willing to let him go fight that horrid thing. 

"You wanted to see me fight." Louis smiles like he isn't about to fight a monster. "Now you can."

"I meant fight me." Harry says, holding Louis' arm tightly. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I've never gotten hurt. Trust me, love." Louis stretches up on his tiptoes to kiss him before running off with Swift. 

Louis' midway through the field when he slides the gliding attachment of his glove that usually just sat atop his palm, all the way around his wrist and unfolding the suit. The matter that was used to build this suit was unstable and could form anything, which made it reliable for moments like this. 

His suit was blue, slightly darker than his eye colour and it crept over his skin before sealing at the seams. It obviously got rid of his previous clothing so he couldn't just remove the suit now. 

"Do we kill it?" Swift asks him when they get closer, grabbing the troll's attention and making Harry chew his cheek incessantly. 

"This isn't its land. Yes, we kill it."

It was a neat job, and Louis was proud of it. The troll swung his axe over their heads, and it took down two trees in the distance. With cunning agility, Louis mounted the troll's shoulders and because he couldn't snap his neck he had to slit it. Maybe it wasn't so clean.   
Louis' whip lashed out of his sleeve to wrap around the creature's shoulders but the troll caught it in his hand and yanked Louis to the ground with force after the blood started oozing out. 

Louis landed on his feet and Swift runs to him thinking it's over. They didn't predict the axe returning in a boomerang act, and knocking Swift off his feet.   
They're back up though, and the troll goes down in a pond of its own body fluids, still grasping the air repeatedly. Louis thinks about just beheading the foul creature and putting it out of its misery, but it starts spasming and gently the life rolls out of its body. 

Everything was stable again. The men in charge of disposing of these creatures came with their torch blazers and turned it to ash before being swept away by the wind. 

"Good enough, Alpha?" Louis asks, having turned around at the glorious feeling that Harry was staring at him. 

_Alpha._ If that endearment wasn't the absolute truth, Harry would have swooned. He felt the speed of his heart pumping blood being stricken by the tidal waves of the emotions his Omega shared with him, crashing down. 

Everything was _his Omega_. Every sound was laced with Louis' laughter and voice; every touch was electrified because of Louis and every ounce of himself belonged to the smaller boy.   
It was the bond, intensified by the sheer love Harry had for his beautiful Omega. He has lived centuries and never been through the realms of a feeble emotion, not one, but by looking into Louis' eyes that first day Harry knew he was gone. He belonged to this boy from the moment they first saw the world. 

"You know what you're doing." Harry compliments, lifting Louis off the ground for a smothering kiss. "Very sexy."

"Well, I _am_ a professional." Louis giggles, shutting out the world and wrapping his legs around Harry's waist. 

"I think my favourite part is the suit. You really know how to handle attention, little one." Harry pins Louis' body to his own and the boy gasps softly before turning bright red. 

"I think it's time to introduce you to the other demons." Louis deflects the current public situation they're in. "You just need to deflate whatever's in your pants."

Harry cackles at Louis' joke, baring his teeth in a wide grin and starting off towards their cottage.

"Do you cook?" Louis has the tip of his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he concentrates on distracting Harry from a beeline of strides. 

Harry glances at him through his peripheral and he mentally curses himself for that. Keeping from pinning Louis against a tree just to kiss him breathless, was getting tougher.   
Ares shows up after Swift went to look for his own daemon, crawling up Louis' arm and squeezing himself into the space between Louis' cheek and Harry's neck. 

"Are you sure he doesn't understand English?" Harry asks, tightening his fingers around Louis' thigh. 

"Yes. Why?" The Omega feels Ares' tail weave around his neck. 

"I have a very strong disliking for the way this dragon keeps getting between us."

Louis laughs and presses his chin to Harry's shoulder. "He has the predetermined trait to protect me. He has the right intentions."

"As do I. My intentions are quite _lovely._ "

Louis opens his mouth to respond when a thumbnail-sized 'L' floats into his focus. Harry sees it too and stops moving to step back, only the 'L' follows them. 

"It's a message." Louis assures him. "Not dangerous."

Harry scoffs and watches his mate reach towards it, fisting the object and squeezing for two seconds before releasing it. It turns into a flat transparent screen with the details of this transmission on it. 

_"They're back."_

While the demon frowns, Louis is grinning and jumps off Harry's back before taking his hand. 

"Lou?" Harry tugs on their joined fingers. 

"Oh." Louis stops smiling long enough to explain. "Do you remember my friends from that high school in the mortal world?"

Harry's never forgotten anything in his life, a miserable feat. "Yes."

"Niall and Liam. They were doing their Initiation with me." Louis drums his fingers in a light rhythm against Harry's knuckles as they start walking again. "And they just got back."

"Ah." Harry chewed on his bottom lip. "So how does one know when their.... _Initiation_ is over?"

"Well, we are sent to the mortal parts of this world to survive. We choose a case scenario and live it, while we search for a...calling, of sorts. It can be a mate, as many have turned out to be; a career, as being posted in that world to spy."

"That's interesting. Did you choose to find me?"

Louis smiles shyly, as he does when a question means a long and/or personal answer. "You found me, didn't you?"

"I remember."

"You wanted to be my _friend._ " Louis mocks light-heartedly. 

"You did turn out to be my best friend." Harry pulls Louis to his side until they're pressed together and nearly relying on each other for balance. 

Louis blushes. "Niall's my best friend."

"That's harsh, kitten."

"Serves you right for calling me kitten."

Harry keeps his response locked up for later because Louis seems to be ecstatic about something else now. They've stopped outside the entry way to these premises, and Louis' already waving to the two approaching figures. Harry releases his hand in time to watch Louis sprint over to those individuals and hug them both at once. The demon feels a spike in his arm and looks down to see Ares climbing up his bicep to be perched on Harry's shoulder. 

"I was worried!" Louis says first after releasing their shoulders. "Where the Hell where you?"

"More importantly, who told you we were coming?" Niall had dropped his bag of glass souvenirs to hug his closest friend. 

"Who do you think?" Louis raised his eyebrow. 

"Alfred." Liam chimes in, eyes frozen on the shadow beside a tree behind Louis.   
It was always foggy here, thin white air filled the empty spaces to confuse any nay sayers and wanderers. It kept their gates protected because if you didn't belong here, you turn around to inhale poison. 

"You're mated." Louis stumbles back two steps to gape at his friends. "I can smell it and you didn't even-"

"Lou." Niall tries. 

"-challenge them. Do you _know_ what Alfred-"

"Lou!" 

"Wh-" He stops when a strong, safe presence pitches up right behind him. "-at. What?"

Harry was not too happy with the previous distance between him and his mate, especially since he was trying not to flick Ares off his shoulder. It got too much when these two males - one being _fucking Alpha_ \- raised their voices at his Louis. He darted across the space to offer security, and wrapped Louis' waist in a steel cage of his arms. 

Niall stopped breathing because a demon was right before them, clearly infatuated with his best mate. Harry was in human form, for now, but he only felt at ease after growling and kissing Louis' bond bite boldly. 

"Niall, Liam. You remember Harry." Louis says with an undefeated fond smile on his face. 

Liam just glared at the demon, and Harry was thankful he didn't give a fuck. He was not here to impress anyone besides Louis, that was his duty and boy, will he excel at it. 

"Hi, Harry." Niall was always a courteous one. Extremely loud, but very polite. "Nice to see you again."

Harry grunted and straightened his stature, standing taller than anyone else in this little reunion. Ares clambered back onto Louis' shoulder and Niall noticed the outstanding design marking Louis' side profile, that matched the one on Harry's skin. 

"You're mated." Liam says. 

"That we are. And so are you but Alfred's gonna shit a brick when he hears." Louis replies, fighting to maintain the no-tension rule. 

"He won't." Niall picks the bag up and tosses something at Louis in a box. "Let us settle in and we're meet by the log in an hour?"

"Alright." Louis was staring at the wrapped box too long. "Wait. _Us?_ Niall, get back here!"

**_[A/N: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ :D Okay so I have an idea, a weird one. I was thinking about making this story a series. NOT a confusing, drawn out series but like a number of books and each one Harry and Louis will go through different situations. Like a TV show but it won't take forever bc I do have lots of ideas and don't want to shove it into one story. So is that a good idea? Or do you guys want just this one story where I'll cut the ideas down. AND if you say do it in a series, then do you want it in separate books or this very book with dozens of parts. I know it would be harder with different books maybe....will it? Or would u like different covers and things. There will be many chapters in each 'episode'. Let me knowwwww. Big love!!]_ **


	16. Chapter 16

**_[A/N: There's going to be lots of smut for a little while. Fresh bond and all that. Enjoy! - S xx]_ **

_Life is made of many small pleasures._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Louis waited impatiently by the log. Harry would not call it waiting, because he smirked fondly at his lovely mate as the boy paced up and down. 

"Why are you so troubled?" Harry asks casually, staring up at this healthy sky with his hands under his head. 

"Niall is mated."

"And?"

"All Alphas are supposed to challenged when from another species."

"Hmm. Wait-"

"Unless....." Louis pauses his stride to stare at the building Niall and Liam had disappeared into. "I'll kill him."

"Want my help?"

Louis scoffed and caught Ares settling on his usual broken branch perch on the dead log. 

Not two whole minutes later they're rejoined by Liam and Niall. Alphas didn't need daemons like Omegas - that was a stereotype but all Omegas did enjoy that added presence - so Liam didn't have one, but Niall did. It was a silver monkey with an extra long tail to be secured around Niall's waist. 

"You son of a gun." Louis puts his hands on his hips in a very no-nonsense manner. "Why didn't I know?"

"I missed you too, Lou." Niall wraps his arms around the boy's middle anyway. 

"Couple of unbearable days without me, huh?" 

"You bet." Liam gets his hug and Harry sits up with irritated vigilance. 

"Congratulations." Louis genuinely smiles. "I saw this coming for ages."

"Shut it, Lewis." Niall sasses. 

Louis pokes his tongue out in his direction, when he feels the heaviness of a muscular arm settling on his shoulders. He leans into the touch, already knowing who it is. 

"We were going to get our stuff from Albert." Liam coughs into his fist, feeling pressured by the stability of another Alpha. 

"I didn't get mine either." Louis agrees. "Let's go now."

Harry knew right then that he hated misinterpreting or not understanding. This world wasn't his yet, and all he had to keep him sane enough until he was comfortable was his mate.   
Here, the ball game has been switched and everything was different. He had little to no control over what happens on a regular basis. His powers worked but he won't use them until completely certain. 

The demon refused to release Louis from his hold even while the boy was in deep conversation with Niall. They had taken a path narrow enough for three people to walk in a single row, so Liam walked ahead. Harry wasn't about to play nice with other Alphas, not ever really.   
It was his nature to be everything to his Omega, and that he will forever fulfil. The threat of other Alphas showing up still nagged at his subconscious and the lust for what his old self craved still lingers untouched. 

The library tower stood as tall as the mountain of Olympus. It had a single window at the top, below an array of goblet statues, and a lonely door at the base above ground. 

Louis seemed to know the door was a fake one, intended to serve as a sound booby trap. He kicked a stone away, that stood between two trees and retrieved a key. That key was used to open an invisible door, carved of the same stone as the tower's circular walls itself.   
Everyone stepped in and Harry shut the heavy door behind them. Inside was brightly lit, and the demon frowned deeply when the innards of this library seemed to go on forever and certainly not fit in the circumference of the tower. 

"Alfred!" Louis shouted the bookshelves and his voice echoed off between them. 

"Over here." Came a reply as sound as Louis'. 

The Omega knew this was a new surrounding to Harry, and took his hand before starting towards the old man. 

"Alfred is as old as this tower." Louis snickers. "But age really has granted him wisdom."

"I'd imagine you are close friends." Harry replies, noticing how Niall and Liam disappeared. 

"Something like that." 

The elderly man comes into view after they pass three grand standing shelves and come to a display case with a sword in it. Alfred had stereotypical white hair and olive tan with spectacles, his knit sweater and loafers weren't missing either. Alfred was Alpha though, and Harry made his thoughts on those beside him very clear. 

"Louis!" Alfred greets chirpily but doesn't make a move to touch him. 

"Hey." Louis waves with his free hand, bumping into Harry's side. 

"And is this the lucky mate?"

"Harry." The demon speaks for himself. "I am."

"Lovely to meet you, Harry." Alfred doesn't even eye him suspiciously. "You've found yourself the best creature of all to bond with."

Louis didn't hear because he was busy saving a trilogy from falling off a high shelf. Harry kept his eyes to the ground, knowing that the inappropriate manner of his thoughts would flag down anyone if he glanced at Louis with stretched out curves and supple skin. 

"We've come to collect." Louis pushes his hair back to straighten himself. 

Alfred hums. "Thought as much. Well, you know where everything is."

"Thanks, also for sending me that warning earlier."

Harry's instincts flare at such a word. Alfred chuckles though before turning back to his decayed weaponry. 

"Warning?" Harry asks in a low voice as soon as he's being led away by an enthusiastic Louis. 

"About Niall and Liam."

"Oh." Well, no need to panic just yet then. 

The library could have every book since the first day this planet lived. It started at the door and continued for a good few hundred meters. There were two rows of books and who knows how many columns. To the side was the display and staircase to Alfred's office, that's where the precious stuff was hidden. 

"Why is the door outside a diversion?" Harry asks, no longer in awe of the room but of how the light in here made Louis' soft skin glow. 

"Nobody's allowed in here." Louis keeps peeking into every isle they pass. "This library has been in Alfred's family ever since our kind was created. They personally collected all these books and wanted to protect it."

Harry nods, his gaze still locked dazedly on Louis' face and neck where he looked like an ethereal being sent from above. 

"What happens if someone goes through that door?"

"Nobody knows." Louis shrugs. "Alfred never asked his grandparents or parents before they died."

Louis _loved_ reading and spent whatever free time he had before Initiation and away from training beasts, in here. He learnt Braille by Alfred's tuition and got his dainty hands on every mythical book there was. 

"Titans ruled the earth long before the first man was created." Louis makes a satisfied noise and pulls Harry into the forty-fourth isle they've ventured near. "Do you know who was their king?"

Of course Harry knew. "Cronus."

Louis smiled, pleased with knowing he could share his fascination with history in the company of his mate. "Wanna know what else Cronus did?"

"I'd like to."

"He created us." 

The demon's mossy eyes widen in surprise. "You're the son of-"

"My ungrateful father." Louis sighs. 

They'd come to face a giant shield of titanium, or sterling silver at the least. Harry sniffed and it was nearly polished, he realised. Louis looked at the emblem plastered to the wall beside the shield before sliding it aside and having his eye recognised. 

"Cronus created our kind to fight for him but when Poseidon, Zeus and Hades escaped, our forefathers went with them." Louis continues as he clears a table of Alfred's papers to use. "My grandfather was one of them."

"That was thousands of years ago." Harry points out. 

Louis nods and blows air into one cheek to expand it in thought as Harry leans against the table. "When we mate with an immortal, provided they have a higher presentation, we become immortal."

"Higher presentation?"

Harry multitasks between listening to Louis and taking in the wonderful sight of glistening arsenal. Louis takes out the first one, a twig-like piece of metal and comes to stand in front of Harry. 

"Whether they're Alpha, Beta or Omega." He answers, pressing the end of this twig and watching it expand into a spear. 

"You people make everything compact." Harry comments, accepting the weapon and holding a safe distance away before switching the sharpened ends to various modes. 

"Has to be that way."

Ares joined them after a short while, using up a small space on the desk beside Harry. Louis takes the metal piece back and smiles at the dragon, staring expectantly at Harry who is blatantly ignoring it. 

"He's starting to like you." Louis comments, smug grin and all. 

Harry frowns at the dragon's act of looking at him with some hope of friendship. 

"Ares doesn't take to many people." 

Louis has his back turned, and the dragon picks its head up to nudge Harry's shoulder. The demon shoots the creature a glare before shuffling away. 

"Are you any good with a blade?" 

"Uh..." The daemon is continually poking Harry's arm with it's clawed hand and creating small whines. "Quite good."

_"Scutum est consideratio. Desine compellare leonida, Ares."_

The dragon immediately stops and snorts loudly through his snout, obviously offended. 

"What did you tell him?" Harry enquires. 

"That this shield is reflective and he should stop troubling you." 

Harry chuckles and the dragon growls at him. 

"And you don't bother my other daemon either, Hazza."

"Is that what he is?" Harry reaches out to touch the dragon and almost gets bitten by it. 

"Yes. A constant companion." 

Louis slams the shield against the wall again, unhooking it this time and bringing it to the table. The wood shows no trace of withholding any safe or weapons, having been concealed in the shield itself. 

_"Ares. Accipite hanc domum. Nemo ad eam." Louis waits for the dragon to grow big enough to bear the burden of this metallic wonder on its back. (Ares. Take this home. Let no one near it.)_

_"Tell me something, little one." Harry is right behind him when he's turned to examine the plain wooden sheets._

_"Y-Yes?" Louis stutters from the shock._

_His one hand braced against the wall gets laced together with Harry's in an unbreakable knot. The demon's chest and torso press against Louis' back, fully able to hide the Omega from view with his fine stature._

_"Do you know how _difficult_ it is-" Harry bends Louis' head at an angle that gives him full access to his neck and bond bite. "-for a damned creature like me to resist something as pure as you?"_

_Louis let's out a shaky breath and his eyes flutter before closing at the pulsating sensation of Harry's warm lips gracing his skin. "Damned?"_

_"Yes." Harry braces an arm around Louis' middle so that they were touching in every possible way. "I am a demon, born out of death-" Harry takes Louis' earlobe, unpierced and soft with baby fine hairs between his teeth. "-and the darkest possible _evil-_ " He drinks in every little sound Louis makes, signs of a submitting will while he sucks a neat mark into the skin near the bite. "-and lust for all things."_

_Louis' knees were already giving way, buckling under the heated intensity of his mate's words. He is standing with the support of Harry alone._

_"So when I saw you that first day-" Harry goes on, bringing his hand up to where the zipper starts on Louis' suit. "-in Marvel clothing with a voice so sweet-" He tugs on the tiny piece of steel. "-I _knew_ I'd have you in my heart, my every thought."_

_When Harry got too close to revealing more skin of his than publicly allowed, Louis knew they had to stop. But he didn't want to. He's turned to jelly in Harry's embrace and his skin was boiling with blood trying to break the surface._

_"You and I are bound by forever, my precious demon." Louis says in a useful tone of excessive innocence that did many things for Harry's desires. The Omega slid out of Harry's cage and stepped aside. "So catch me if you can."_

_Before Louis could take off, Harry spoke again with a pleasant smirk. "My arms have waited _centuries_ to hold you." He steps forward and Louis steps back. "Do not think a frivolous game will keep me from you."_

_"The saying gloats about everything revolving around the chase." Louis puts his hand out to stop Harry from closing in on his personal space again._

_"I've chased you to the four corners of the world." Harry reminds him. "There is _nowhere_ you can hide."_

_"Humour me then." Louis smiles as he backs up through the isle, easily stalked by Harry._

_"Your wish is my command, little one."_

_**_[A/N: DISCLAIMER: The story about Cronus and the Zohrai army is totally fictional, I promise. Don't report me please. He did have an army of titans but the Zohrai species is my idea and does not appear in history.]_ ** _


	17. Chapter 17

**_[A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update, I just didn't get the chance to finish up this chapter. I know you guys miss innocent Louis from before, and I'm sorry I couldn't keep him around. I completely understand your disinterest now and if you stop reading. This story is taking a Sci-Fi road hence forth.]_ **

_Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was. So will it always be._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Liam and Niall were dismounting their shields from the wall, just as Louis had to take home and store there. Alfred had just finished the second coat of fine polish on the glass casing that protected the legendary sword of their very first commanding general.   
Harry had succeeded in catching Louis - there were never any doubts about his wonderful capabilities - after just three minutes of a lead start. 

Now, they were hiding in the room that Louis utilised to study before. The larger of the two had sloppily cleaned the most suitable table before hoisting Louis onto it. Nobody judged them for the ever-present need to be touching, loving because the result of a fresh bond was such. 

"Shh." Louis giggled when Harry tore his own shirt in the desperate hurry he was in. 

"Funny." Harry growled, aptly unzipping Louis' suit to reveal the intoxicating state of his skin. 

The demon slips his hands under Louis' bum and jerks him forward, wrapping the Omega's legs around his waist as he kissed along the veins in his neck. Louis closed his eyes and got lost in the sweet feeling of Harry's plump lips on his pulse point, fisting his curls and controlling his own sounds. 

"If someone finds us, I'm going to kill you." Louis falls back onto the table after Harry pries the skin-tight suit off him, worshipping the exposed skin as he went. 

Harry chuckles against Louis' tummy. "Then let me reassure you."

Louis sits up on a propped elbow to look at what Harry was doing. The demon looked at the closed but unlockable door, before lifting his hand and shooting a flame out at the handle. 

"It won't burn anything, just keep it hot enough that nobody can touch." Harry promises, forcing Louis' legs apart and succumbing to the animalistic urge to undo his jeans. 

"Quite the artist, aren't you?" Louis laughs, filling Harry's ears with that magical sound and driving his restraint off a reef. 

"You mated me." 

Before Louis' smart remark could fire back, Harry sinks into him without prep and effectively shutting down both their higher functions. 

"Wish I could taste you properly." Harry bottoms out, nudging against Louis' prostrate and pinning his wrists to the table. "But we don't seem to have enough time."

Louis can only moan in a high pitch and lose the air in his lungs to Harry's grinding movements, not even retracting a little. He throws his head back and feels the composure get punched out of him, his body now crying to be united with Harry's. 

Harry leans over Louis, covering the boy's body with his and starting to thrust slowly into the welcoming warmth of Louis' body. Their sweaty skin is rubbing together, creating heated friction everywhere in the form of delicious flames.   
Harry's teeth latch onto Louis' neck and their mating spot, littering little bruises of claim all over the boy's skin. He felt most possessive at these moments, wanting to bite and just go harder for Louis. There was a traiterous part of him that kept saying he wasn't going to be the best at this, and he wasn't about to let that get the better of him. 

Louis' tearing from stimulation, and the friction against his dick between their bodies. There was no space, just them. 

When the end was getting closer, threatening to spill over and bathe them in post coital bliss Harry started rocking into Louis at a painful pace. Louis hissed at the discomfort caused from the burning expansion of Harry's demon form. If Louis had to bet, he'd think he was bleeding with the slick that dripped out onto their thighs. 

Their kiss turns sloppy, their mouths slanted together in opposite directions as they absorb as much as they can from each other. Louis is so taken with Harry, that he slips his little tongue into his mate's mouth and stealing as much of the Alpha's essence as he can.   
Louis' dainty fingers tighten in Harry's hair, grinding back onto him against the rapidly maximising burn. It felt like he was being split in two halves but there's never been a better feeling. 

He pants out little noises, filling the hot air with his cute exclamations. Harry let's them each soak into his skin and fuel his thrusting. Not wanting to part with Louis' body but needing to hold it as close to him as possible, Harry puts an arms length between them and cooes at the adorable Omega who scratches up his arms to regain attention.   
Louis always got needy during sex, wanting all of Harry's might and effort to be directed only at him. 

The Alpha forces Louis' legs higher up his waist, altering the angle and creating stars in Louis' vision. He uses the leverage of the table to move faster, with more prowling strength and intent. He _wants_ his Omega to be sore and unable to walk without biting his lip, because then Louis will always remember who he belonged to. 

The table's legs scraped against the wooden floor, moving as it Harry pounded into Louis and made it slam against the wall repeatedly. Louis cries out, muffled by Harry's lips as he releases all over their tummies. 

Harry's green eyes turned to black slits, and he recarved Louis' mating bite as he climaxed. If Louis wasn't bleeding, he could put his neck on the line to prove he was the most sore he's ever been. Nothing's felt better to him. 

"I know what you two are doing in there." Alfred's voice floods into their little bubble with a bored tone. "Stop it and get out here so I can put these books away."

Harry laughs and Louis covers his mouth as he joins in, much softer and more fragile. The demon pulls out of Louis gingerly since the boy winces from the extraction and soreness. 

"Har-" Louis gets Harry's finger to his lip when he tries to talk. 

Harry zips himself up, after he handles Louis' clothing. He knows Louis' probably in a lot of discomfort because the nylon of the suit mixed with drying semen was bound to be irritating. He wasn't saying secretly knowing Louis would battling to keep himself from leaking, was anything to not be smug about. 

After they look presentable, Harry opens his arms for Louis to sceptically fold into. Harry picks him up by the backs of his thighs, and cheekily presses a finger against the soft material where the Alpha knew Louis was clenching to keep filled. 

"Stop it." Louis squirmed in his arms, gasping once when Harry doesn't let up. 

Harry chuckles and steps towards the far wall with nothing against it. He presses his back to it, and Louis fails to see the point of this. 

"Alfred's waiting for us to get out there." Louis says. 

"I know you're not scared of flying." Harry puts Louis' hands on his shoulders after kissing each wrist. "Watch closely."

Louis raises both eyebrows to touch his hairline when Harry takes a deep breath - meant for theatrics alone - before falling backwards. He's about to question what purpose this will have since there's a wall there, when they manage to both fall right through it into the outside world. 

Harry's wings, black with veins of bright red, fan out at either side to cushion their flight. Louis forgets that Harry defied the basic rules of opacity, to laugh in thorough joy and childish excitement. His giggle is electrifying to Harry, non-stop and making every unreliable need tingle. 

A belt slips around Louis' waist, pinning him to Harry as they fall. Harry's head is bent backward, exposing the protrusive arteries in his neck that stood out; with clenched teeth and closed eyes he worked on staying completely still as they plummeted.   
Louis watched the air around them zip past and blur into one image. Harry's arms stay on his back and hip for security, and an inch above the ground the demon's wings carry them upward. 

It is simply the most exhilarating thing Louis' ever been there to witness, maybe he clutched onto his Alpha for all he was worth but as they shot back up he relaxed. 

"Good enough?" Harry's inner Alpha cheers for the look of splendour on his mate's face. 

"Definitely." Louis nods vigorously, eyes still darting around to study the tree tops. "Can we do it again?"

"Anything for you, little one." Harry bumps their noses together and Louis thinks he's drunk off antsy excitement alone. 

When Louis puts his hand on the belt around them, Harry cheekily tightens it a bit so neither can move away. Both males seem to forget that they're explicitly floating in a standstill position with Harry's wings keeping them there. 

"Tail." Harry says by means of explanation. 

He was still in his human form save for the wings and tail now. Louis nods with an impressed expression and melting Harry's black heart. 

They get back in through the only window of the tower, and Harry drops inside on his feet before releasing Louis. They were smoothly unseen, but that could all change if they weren't quick enough in composing their chaffed faces. 

"Hey, Alfred." Louis casually pinches Harry's wrist as he strolls by in the older man's direction. 

"Louis?" Alfred squints through his circular glass frames only to confirm the stunned suspicions. 

Harry, having quickly recovered and placed himself in this moment, slips past them both to open the office door again because he's singly the only person who can without burning his arm off. At the same time, he extracts the flame and feels it cool steadily in his palm. 

Louis flips on the light switch, brightening the flush in his cheeks and sweat traces in his hair. The only demon in the room stares at his mate, completely taken aback. 

"I came to put these books back." Alfred uselessly explains. 

"And I came to get clothing." Louis responds, deflecting all suspicions as he grabs a black outfit out of the closed cabinet. 

Alfred finishes up and leaves, just as the T-shirts hem drops to Louis' hips gracefully. Harry thinks everything concerning his Louis was graceful and on-point. 

"Think he knows?" Louis doesn't appear all that disturbed by either truth. 

"He probably smelt it." Harry shrugs, wrapping his arms around Louis because not touching the boy meant inexplicable longing. "All of it."

Louis blushes and elbows Harry's side, it was playful and could have tickled the demon. 

"You're hungry." Louis suddenly says. 

"Come again?"

"You want to hunt, don't you?"

Harry stays quiet, hidden in Louis' hair from behind. 

"The other demons are at the Alpha pub so Liam will take you. You can ask them."

Harry's inner monster growls at the opportunity to feed, but _Harry_ still wants to spend every waking minute with Louis. 

"Niall and I will be at the Omega pub. It's more fun there anyway." He supplies. "They're nice to other demons, don't be scared."

Harry had to scoff at that, but said nothing still. 

"You're going." Louis says with finality. 

"I don't like Liam." Harry complains. 

"Learn to like him."

"It's not my nature."

"Neither is it his. Don't talk to him then, just walk in the same direction."

"Alright." Harry sighs loudly. "But I'll miss you."

"No need. We'll see each other in a mere five hours."

"Five?" Harry sounds disbelieving. "I was thinking two."

"Four and a half."

"Three."

"Harry."

"Three, Lou." Harry nuzzles Louis' neck hoping to convince the smaller of them. Since when did he turn to pleading?

"Four hours and if you argue I won't go flying with you." Louis knew how ridiculous that sounded but anyway. 

"Fine. Four hours." Harry relents. "I usually hunt for one hour so what do I do after that?"

"That's what alcohol is for."

Harry's demon huffs in irritation and distress, but he really turns into a bumbling mess around Louis - which is the intentional bit - so just pouts against Louis' cheek. He'd never have any other expression besides that of his lips in a grim line around everyone who wasn't his mate, that much was definitely his nature. He loved that Louis was his exception for every rule. 

When Louis releases a soft laugh under his breath from Harry's lips creeping along his cheek and asking for attention, the demon _knows_ he'll never do anything for anyone else again.   
Harry nips awkwardly at Louis' jaw, moving closer to his mouth and kissing the corner. 

"You can just ask." Louis rolls his head further away from Harry's inescapable plump lips. 

"Kiss me." Harry breathes, seeing the words permeate into the air and stay stagnant there. 

"First-" Louis lifts a finger and fumbles for something on the table, made difficult by Harry's steel arms around his middle. "-take this."

Louis turns in Harry's arms, rocking up on his tiptoes to kiss him square on the mouth chastely. He then hands Harry a ring, coloured emerald green and seeming to hold a moving galaxy. 

"For you." Louis slips it on Harry's right middle finger. "It's like my bracelet-glove but you like rings better."

Harry chews his lip and watches the life of moving objects within the ring. "It's beautiful."

Louis smiles. "If you need to use it, do this."

The Omega takes Harry's hand, sliding the constellation of stars across to the back and observes how several pieces unfold. 

Louis had known they weren't alone from the moment Niall's scent got too prominent in the air. Liam's was mingling with his Omega's, creating a combined aroma of floral essence. He teaches Harry how to retract the wrist glove before they enter. 

"Knock, knock." Niall says as he physically does so. "We disturbing?"

Harry's growl fills one ear and Louis' left to work with the other one. "Ah! Liam."

Liam frowns at the sudden attention but accepts Louis' hand around his wrist after the boy wiggled free of Harry. "Yes, Lou?"

"You need a drink, don't you?"

"Well-"

"So you'll take Harry to the Alpha bar please? He needs to see the other demons."

Liam's gaze runs over Harry's towering stature and doesn't seem threatened but won't initiate anything that could get him knocked on his ass either. Niall is standing in the room now, laughing freely at the flustered state of his Alpha. 

"Sure." Liam let's as much Alpha timbre leak into his voice as he can. 

It's not much because the standing rule amongst Alphas was that there will _always_ be one more important and powerful than you. To show that you were intimidated or even not too arrogant - a birthright to Alphas - was respect. Harry's lived longer, fought more wars and held more standing in any council. 

"Great. Thanks, Li." Louis was not oblivious to the ongoing testosterone battle, but Omegas are accustomed to not mentioning anything. 

"No problem." Niall answers for Liam. "So where are we going?"

When Liam glanced at Harry right in the eye, the demon took a little advantage of his position and allowed his eyes to flicker, revealing gold snake eyes, before going back. 

"The usual." Louis replies. 

It had still been the middle of the day at that time, and after promises were spread to meet up later when the night's influence was in, the group of four split into two's. 

Liam sagged from the weight of relief in Niall's arms as soon as Harry's presence was extracted from the room that was getting tighter for him. 

"Hey." Niall had to comfort his mate, petting his hair soothingly. "What's wrong?"

"That damn demon." Liam grits. 

"Harry?"

"Yes. I have a bad feeling about him."

"You have a bad feeling about spicy food, Liam." Niall teases. "Harry's nice."

"Did you see his eyes?"

"Yes. They're very green."

"They were snake eyes."

"Demons are fathers of the serpent, so that makes complete sense." Niall sighs when Liam's shoulders don't ease up in tension. "Love, try to be happy for Louis? It will cloud whatever hatred you have for his mate."

"You're right." Liam stands straight up and helps Niall off the table. 

"As per usual."

Harry and Louis found Ares waiting outside their cottage, taking full advantage of the aged porch swing. The dragon seems to be asleep, splayed out haphazardly without hurting himself with its eyes closed.   
Louis shook his head as he laughed at his daemon, feeling pity enough to let the dragon sleep there without bringing the house down. However, they lived in the woods and a Gaxim was currently wandering about unseen. 

Harry left the two outside to prepare something to eat in _their_ kitchen while Louis woke the creature up. 

_"Iam scio quid facias iniuriam."_ Louis crouches by Ares and flicks his wing. (You already know what you're doing wrong here)

The daemon seems to grumble, as a human would before wrapping itself up into pocket sized for Louis to carry inside. 

"Smells amazing." Louis compliments as soon as he's through the door. "How did you cook so quickly?"

"It's mortal food. Hope you don't mind." Harry chuckles from the small space they called a kitchen. 

Louis rolls his eyes, setting Ares down on one of the two couches. "We can only eat mortal food, Harry. We don't have radioactive farms with mutated vegetables."

"Well that's a relief."

Louis laughs as he hoists himself up onto the counter, swinging his short legs back and forth as he watched Harry cook. He suspects the meal to be grilled cheese sizzling in the oil and butter.   
The Zohrai ate normal food, though most expected the outrageous joke Louis made to be an actuality. Maybe they didn't consume frozen pizza and soda by the box and gallon, but their tastes were relatively regular. Maybe their steak didn't come from a cow but Louis swears it tastes the same, better even. 

Louis was fractionally correct about the snack assumption, there was no processed bread in these parts so Harry had to make do with fresh bread. All the food stocked in every kitchen, was compliments of the sales cafeteria that Swift and Louis visited earlier. You didn't pay for anything, but dependant on the status you had in monetary value you got to take food off their shelves. 

"Taste this." Harry turns around to slot himself between Louis' legs, armed with a frying pan. 

"Harry!" Louis shrieks when the burning metal gets close enough to his neck to cause a generous burn. "Just because you don't get burnt, doesn't make the rule apply to me."

"Right. Sorry." He sheepishly backs up to put the frying pan safely away before returning with a recently washed and dried plate. "Now taste this."

Louis chuckles at Harry's cautionary manner, the outright confidence simmering down after the almost mistake. Without arguing, he accepts the new edible invention from Harry's offering. 

"You certainly can cook." Louis confesses. "Let's not tell Niall that."

"Deal." Harry chuckles, taking a bite of the greasy bread between Louis' slim fingers. 

"I need a shower." Louis scrunches up his button nose, blowing out a loud breath when they're all done eating. 

"May I have the honour of joining you?"

Just then a new scent fills Louis' nostrils and he screams from the unexpected aftermath of a horrible slash against his neck. 

"Louis?" Harry panics, lifting Louis' chin to examine the damage. He sees red hot anger at the trio of deep gashes splitting Louis' skin. 

"Ares!" Louis scrambles off the counter, clutching his neck in one hand and dashing into the living room where his daemon was. 

As soon as Ares sees Louis, the dragon seeks refuge in his warm safety. Louis sees an identical mark on Ares' scaly throat and he steps toward the couch. 

"Oh." Harry holds him back, fighting the burn in his throat as he bends over the sofa to retrieve something. "I know who did that."

Louis sees the suspect of their injury and forgets about the pain, but Ares is just about ready to make a spit braai of the animal. Their cuts heal over in a blink, and Louis gathers the kitten from Harry's hand up against his chest. 

"You brought Sebastian?!" Louis is positively beaming at this revelation. 

"To be honest, I forgot all about him." Harry admits, now taking over for supporting Ares on his shoulder. "He was scratching the door when I tried to leave."

Louis pouts and scratches the kitten between his ears. The frightened cat seems to recognise Louis and meow softly before tucking itself into the crook of his arm. 

"He scratches Ares though." Louis was torn. "Which meant scratching me."

Harry frowned. "We can throw him out. I really don't mind."

Louis expresses the most wounded look he can muster, slapping Harry's arm for effect. "He doesn't mean that, Sebby."

**_[A/N: Can I possibly hide out at one of your houses for the next few days? I'm avoiding my own birthday party.]_ **


	18. Chapter 18

**_[A/N: Congratulations to Sam Smith on coming out just a few days ago. It takes courage to do that in a world like ours, and I commend him xx]_ **

_You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down._

***LOUIS' POV***

Niall accompanied me to the Omega bar as soon as I sent word that I was ready. Harry was long past reluctant, and I almost thought he'd bar up the windows to keep Liam out. 

"Socialising is not fun." Harry says, for the fortieth time, still dressed in nothing but shorts. 

"I never said socialise, Hazza. I said follow Liam, get your answers, and leave." I answer from upstairs. 

"Same thing."

I sigh. "Why are you so grumpy all of a sudden?"

"Because you're going to a bar for four hours. Without me, mind you."

"It's just four hours." I jog down the stairs. "Can you get drunk?"

"Of course I can."

"Then do it."

"Will you get drunk?"

"No." I laugh, swinging a leg over his hip and straddle his waist. "Hate getting drunk."

"See, I like this." He squeezes my thigh. "Why do you have to go?"

"Do you want me to be blunt?"

"Yes."

"Because you can't feed on me, love. Not in the way you need to."

"I'm not a vampire." He rolls onto his side, taking me with him to be crushed against the couch back and his chest. 

"I know." I brush his hair back. "You're better than that."

"How is a demon better?"

"You have wings."

"Oh yes."

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry took a deep breath, and exhaled in a way that would relax him. With relaxation, came his true form. Demons had to put effort into keeping up their alternate appearances, and Harry would often just close his eyes so his true form returned and he could rest. 

"Go out tonight, please. I won't be at ease until you come back with little red stains on your lips." Louis easily went when Harry's tail pulled him flush against Harry's torso. 

"That's sadistic, Boo."

"I was going for poetic."

When there were three consecutive knocks on the door, Harry growled and the faintest corners of his dagger teeth were bared. 

"Hey." Louis chastised. "Be nice."

"Four hours starts now."

"Not yet, love. C'mon. Get up."

"Can I scare Liam?"

"How?"

"I'll answer the door like this."

"Don't you dare, Harry Styles."

"But you're open to suggestion?" Harry follows when Louis gets up to answer the door. 

"Go put some clothes on."

"You didn't kiss me yet."

"I did."

"Liar."

Louis grins and stretches up towards the swinging light bulb to kiss Harry, but is kept close and warm when Harry grabs his hips. 

After wasting ten minutes, Harry left with Liam. Not a word was said between them on the walk, and when the demon was sure Louis wouldn't see them - the Omega bar was right opposite the Alpha one - he switched forms. It wasn't to scare Liam, he swears. Liam had a heart attack anyway. 

"Is this it?" Harry asks once they're inside. 

Liam nods, and drifts away immediately. His job here is done. This bar was sleek and grand, every surface shone from polish and every ornament was pricey. The bar was up scale and everyone was dressed accordingly. 

People turned their heads, stared for a full two minutes at this new arrival before returning to their company. His inner Alpha smirked at the attention, but none was unwanted since his bond mark stood out proudly. He couldn't help but miss Louis, even when the lingering scent of other present demons came pass his nostrils. He wanted his Omega. 

Louis reciprocated, but he was better at hiding it. Niall was the best friend and means of distraction. 

The Omega bar is Louis' favourite outside place to be. It was retro and had nothing expensive or modern. They wanted it that way, with the feel of a really medieval pub. The tables were wood, untidily sanded; the chairs were easily breakable; the bar was all wood too and had many historical stains atop the counter. 

Ares came with Louis, while Sebby - Sebastian is a mouthful - stayed in the cottage under lock and key. The dragon was very smug about it. 

"Lou!" Niall and he had a table by the fire setting near the window. 

"Hmm?" Ares was about the size of Louis' cup - just hot chocolate for him - and kept trying to stick his head in. 

"Don't be coy. Tell me everything."

Louis smiled. "I don't know everything."

Niall stuck his tongue out at his best friend. "I remember telling you to stay away from Harry."

"I remember that too." Louis blushed. 

"Couldn't resist, could ya?"

"And for good reason."

"How'd you challenge him when you confessed everything?"

"Made him find me."

"Really?" Niall scoffed. 

"Here."

"Oh." Niall's eyes widened. "That's a toughie."

"Yeah." Louis chewed the inside of his cheek, he still felt extremely guilty about how he eventually got reunited with Harry. 

"So did he?"

Louis' never lied to Niall, so he tells him the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

"That's quite a story." Niall whistles. "Better than mine."

"You never told me yours. I demand to know."

"You left with Harry to go live in his apartment, I was left with Liam."

"You were friends with Liam before Initiation too."

"Yeah but, you know how insistent Liam is."

Louis rolls his eyes. "Nobody forgets."

"You know he only gave me two hours."

"Who?"

"Santa. Liam, obviously."

"Two hours....to be here?"

"Yeah, he's too protective for two hours and a minute."

"I got four hours."

Niall turns red in the face. "How?"

"Persuasion."

"Teach me. Teach me, Lou."

Louis laughs freely, like he's missed for so long. "It's acquired. Can't be taught."

"Mean."

"You're gonna leave me alone for two hours after you leave?"

"Nah. Liam will understand if I stay for you. Think they'll survive?"

"Where?" 

"Across the road."

"Oh! Well, yeah. Depends on what you mean by 'survive'."

"I mean, is four hours too long or too short?"

Louis chuckles fondly. "Definitely too long."

Harry had found the other demons in under eight minutes since he walked through the door, all seven of his kind. Well, not exactly. 

"You smell different." The first demon to ever speak to him after they discovered who he was, Asger, observes with a tilted frown. 

Harry says nothing, feeling potentially irritated in this group. They were too carefree for him, it's like they've forgotten what they were taught. 

"I know why!" Colborn raises his arm, along with his drink and Harry feels the burning desire to rip it off. 

These men were insulting the reputation of demons, that men like him took literal centuries to prepare and contribute towards. 

"You're a Possessor, aren't you?" 

For once, Harry looks up from the counter to glance at Colborn and the others. 

"You are!"

That's it. The stool screeches as Harry stands, at six foot four and very intimidatingly over the others. He grabs Colborn by the throat and slams him down against the counter.

"I am a Possessor. That makes me more powerful than any of you, in fact all of you put together and multiplied. Nobody needs to know this so keep your mouth _shut_ and maybe I won't do to you what I've enjoyed doing so many times before." 

Harry glares at him all through his speech and releases Colborn so the demon can rub his neck. Nobody around them seemed to notice, let alone care. Alphas exuded confidence, and that's why these brawls were too common for casualties. 

"You know of my status. Now what will you do?" Harry directs at all of them, ignoring the looks of surprise and horror. 

"A Possessor's never been to these lands." The boldest of the lot, Brick, says shakily. 

"No. There was one before you." Colborn coughs and says, back to normal. "They killed him."

Harry wasn't prepared for that. "How can they kill a Possessor?"

"Nobody's allowed more power than the Zohrai. If they can't control it, they don't want it."

"These lands have no King, no Council. Who decides?"

Brick shrugs. "The people."

"I didn't come here for this." Harry hated talking about this. "Where do you hunt?"

"Oh! Just on the outskirts, we can't harm the Zohrai animals."

"So, the Dark Forest?"

"When Albert got here-" Brick points to the third man with dusty blond hair. "-he tried both sides of the river and-"

"Fuck, Brick. I don't care."

"Right. Sorry. Let's go, _Patéras Daímonas_."

Harry froze, going stiff in his muscles. "Don't call me that."

"It is a sign of respect-"

"No." Harry barked, letting the special silver tint in his eyes spark through. "Anything but that. Understood?"

"Yes, Alpha."

 _Patéras Daímonas_ was truly a mark of respect, loyalty and most importantly obedience. It meant Father Demon is used to address Possessors, demons who had the rare capability to possess any living or non-living vessel. There were few Possessors left, because they wielded too much power and could reek havoc on the planets.   
Lucifer kept Harry safe though, neither knowing why but well aware that Harry was special from the day he was chosen. 

"Now, show me your most powerful beast." Harry demands. 

Meanwhile, Louis was helping Niall finish the oversized plate of olives, cheese and bread they ordered. It was the simplest platter and Niall was just hungry. 

"Niall! Stop throwing food." Louis scolded. 

"Oh yeah, because olives are _so_ hard to come by these days, Lou." Niall rolls his eyes and munches on said sour ball, before spitting out the seed. 

"I want ice cream." Louis pouts to himself. 

"We have ice cream? Since when?"

"Nobody told you take so long on _my_ Initiation." Louis teased before spotting a familiar face step through the double doors. "Oye! Swift!"

The Cyclops sees them and waves, before joining their twosome at the table with a grin and his daemon sitting beside him. Ares now had Louis' cup after Louis generously gave it to him half-filled. The dragon was sharing it with Swift's Cazhrin. 

"Where are the Alphas?" Swift asks from next to Louis. 

"Across the street, now shoosh about them." Niall puts his finger to his own lips. "Louis, didn't you want ice cream?"

"Yes but you're much more entertaining." Louis winks at the other Omega before calling to the woman behind the bar, requesting a pint of ice cream. 

Harry was mate-sick. Almost home-sick but much, much worse. He was grouchy and already willing to kill these other incompetent demons for just being there. 

"The strongest creature is the Azrakel." Brick points to the sky. "Up there."

"What do you feed on?" Harry asks, letting the higher sense of hearing he possesses seek out the noise of an Azrakel. 

"Ground animals. Lots of them because-"

"The greater the creature, the better the full." Harry quotes. "Hunt, I want to see."

Six of the seven demons immediately obey him, as they must. Brick stays behind. 

"Did you not hear me?" Harry raises his eyebrow and leans against a tree trunk. 

_"Durin van es argh dur marg."_ Brick replies, shivering slightly but fighting to hide that. (You are hiding this from your mate.)

 _"Wakht durin mek sif durin ig neb de?"_ (What makes you think you can question me?)

 _"Woe durin sifdh de?"_ (Will you kill me?)

 _"Eh daen il marg van ken. Hyt de sun vie res prelai. Hyt res prelai vie skesee."_ (I do not want him to know. He loves me and it is pure. He is pure and precious.)

Brick smiles, because he does know how a demon feels towards their mate. _"Durin libne res hyt." (You should not lie to him)_

_Harry smirks and looks up with the gifted yellow eyes he has for night vision._

__"Durin res ghavin murith-" Harry looks to the sky as a giant flies over the treetops just near them. (You are too brave-). "-drustharia woe morth fin." (-that's why you will die first.)_ _

__Harry brings down two Akrakels, by himself, from the skies. One he rewards the demons he found and came close to befriending today with, and the other he greedily kept for himself. He didn't need to drink all its blood, didn't have to. So he marked it after having his full and set it free but whenever he needed more, it would come willingly._ _

__"Niall, I'm tired." Louis complained with his head on Swift's shoulder._ _

__Niall was already asleep though, and Swift was having the time of his life drawing with a marker on his arms. Louis gasped and confiscated the pen, before resuming the art himself._ _

__When Louis smelt the familiar scent of an Alpha, he beamed at Liam after turning around to see him by the door._ _

__"Niall!" Louis shoves the man until he wakes up. "Your Alpha's here."_ _

__"Damn. How long was I asleep?" Niall rubs his eyes and yawns._ _

__"You could sleep through an apocalypse, Niall."_ _

__"So can you."_ _

__"Touche."_ _

__"Lou?"_ _

__"Niall?"_ _

__"Let's have a sleep over."_ _

__"Really?" Louis wasn't even drunk, hadn't had a bit of alcohol since he got here but the atmosphere gave him this energy._ _

__"Yeah. Liam and I got a cottage too. Not your cottage, another one. So what if you stayed with me during training tomorrow?"_ _

__"But Niall, my training isn't tomorrow."_ _

__"Shit. Neither is mine."_ _

__Louis giggles and helps Niall stand before walking with him to the door. "Today's Thursday, my training is Saturday. So is yours, I believe. You come over to mine on Saturday and we'll try not to have too much fun."_ _

__"Deal." Niall's eyes light up when he sees Liam and leaves Swift standing with Louis to bolt in his direction._ _

__When they're gone, after waving vigorously, Louis stands with Swift in the cool night breeze. "When's your Initiation, Swift?"_ _

__"We don't have one."_ _

__"Why not?"_ _

__"We don't match the likes of humans."_ _

__Louis waves that off. "You deserve to go see their world."_ _

__"Is it nice there?"_ _

__"Well, I didn't go to many places but it's harsh out there if you take the approach I did."_ _

__"What approach was that?"_ _

__"Disability."_ _

__"Oh."_ _

__"Well, we have a show tomorrow, don't we?" Louis stretches his arms._ _

__"Yeah. Can't miss it."_ _

__They were training beasts tomorrow, two of their choices, to go up against another clan's creatures in a match. It was till death and Louis' fairly confident._ _

__"I'm knackered. See you tomorrow?" Swift whistles to his Cazhrin, still inside, and it comes jogging up to him._ _

__"Definitely. Take care." Louis hugs Swift on his departure._ _

__Ares has taken on a fairly big size, crawling up Louis' back and letting his tail belt around his waist. The dragon settles in under Louis' chin just as a gust of air floats by them, and Louis' lips part in a wide grin because he knows that scent all too well._ _

__The Alpha, Beta and Omega bars where three cubic structures made of the strongest glass. The Alpha bar stood proudly at the peak of the hill, and the Omegas were directly opposite them. It was for those possessive Alphas who needed to ensure that their partners were safe at all times. The Beta bar, always the busiest, sat at the base of the hill._ _

__Where the forest ended and the trees melted away into an expensive landscape painting, the hill began. Harry was jogging away from the wilderness, towards where his instincts was certain Louis stood._ _

__"Thought you stood me up." Louis says when Harry shows up right in front of him._ _

__"How could I ever?" He opens his arms and Louis falls into them with a soft giggle. "Still want the rest of your four hours?"_ _

__"It hasn't been four hours yet?" Louis groans._ _

__"It has. Just testing you."_ _

__Louis smiles and wraps himself around his mate, arms locking behind the demon's neck and legs circling his waist. Harry's in his true form, slightly matted in blood but Louis doesn't seem to mind when the demon's wings close around them._ _

__"So did you make any friends, Hazza?" Louis pulls back to look Harry in the eye._ _

___"Dussen."_ Harry answers in his native tongue. _ _

__"I think you said seven."_ _

__"I did." Harry jerks Louis unintentionally to get a good grip on the boy's thighs._ _

__"Can I meet your seven friends?"_ _

__Harry's brilliant smile falters just a bit. "I don't actually know where they went after they took off, sweetheart."_ _

__"Oh." Louis sniffs against the cold. "Okay."_ _

__"Home, love?"_ _

__Louis nods and buries himself in the warmth of Harry's neck, already lost to the energetic world of an alternate universe. Harry's not though, his mind is racing and the blood in his veins is loudly humming as a distraction. He can't look at one thing for too long, that's the main reason he's kept his eyeballs black so no one would see the way his pupils darted around._ _

__Harry was unable to walk in straight lines by the time he'd brought themselves to their cottage, nearly dropping Louis when he tried to grab the handle. It was the blood gushing through him, coating his nerve ends and soothing the burn. But it was happening too fast, and he couldn't handle it all._ _

__"Haz?" Louis felt Harry's wobbly steps and almost got a bruise from being bumped against the pillar._ _

__"Harry!" Louis screams when the air's stolen from him and Harry's falling like a bombed building._ _

__The demon collapses onto their bed, not really a bed since it's just a mattress on their floor, and the extra dip frightens Louis like nothing before. It was a long way to fall with someone on top of you, and the sickening tightness of his gut make him shriek._ _

__Louis groaned when his Alpha landed on top of him, heavy and he's certain there are bruises somewhere. "Ow."_ _

__Harry's panting like a wild animal, with a racing heart and Louis rolls them over easily now that the demon is lax and Ares is downstairs._ _

__"Harry?" Louis whispers, frantic and concerned. "Wake up."_ _

__"Lou." Harry can't move a muscle, the flowing of fresh and foreign blood overtaking his senses._ _

__"What's wrong?" Louis crawls in behind Harry, pulling the demon into the V of his legs so Harry's back was to his chest._ _

__It wasn't meant to be this way, the Alpha was bigger for this reason. But Louis wasn't going to let inferiority complexes stop him from making his Alpha better._ _

__"Hazza?" Louis keeps his sweet voice low and hypnotic, knowing just how much that would help his mate._ _

__Harry tries to get words out, let Louis know he isn't totally lost in his mind. All he can think about is what would happen if someone barged in as a threat, and he was so dependant like this as an Alpha. He won't be able to protect Louis and the thought makes him shudder._ _

__"I love you." Louis combs Harry's hair with his fingers, such sweet gestures. "Your body's not used to our atmosphere and our creatures. That's okay, you're my strong Alpha and you're get over it."_ _

__Harry feels so small, but his breathing is slowing and he closes his eyes to just concentrate. His tail wraps around Louis' leg possessively and his wings fall to the mattress over Louis' hips so it won't be hurt._ _

__"Listen to my voice." Louis' lips are right by his ear, warm breath on his heated skin and smooth lips on his ear lobe. "Don't pay attention to anything else."_ _

__Harry does. He shuts out all the other sounds and just let's the honey-like drip of Louis' voice soak into him. But there was something bubbling where it shouldn't, and he wasn't too eager to find it out._ _

__"I'd like to take you to my favourite place tomorrow. It's a red beach." Louis laces their fingers together._ _

__Energy. That's what Harry was generating by the mother load inside his body._ _

__"You're burning up, Hazza." Louis kisses his temple. "Slow down, demon with a fever."_ _

__For a whole minute Harry blacked out. He was awake and doing what he couldn't control, ignoring any oncoming protest to get what he wanted. Demons had _speed_ and he had used it, feeling the burn in his muscles now.   
He felt better afterwards, not knowing why but just that he did. Despite the fight he put up with his inner Alpha, he was satisfied that he'd given in. _ _

__Except he was alone._ _

__He panicked when he looked around and the room was empty. Louis wasn't where he should have been, and Harry was naked. He growls loudly, more of a call to his Omega because what if his nightmare came true._ _

__No response._ _

__Harry shoots up, ears perked and accidentally hisses when something wet meets his manhood. Looking down at himself under the blankets, Harry forgets about the current dilemma long enough to turn red with anger, loss and confusion._ _

__Blood. His dick has faint splatters of blood on it, clearly from an outside source._ _

__**_[A/N: Oh dear Lord O.o I was at a friend's house for a sleep over and I wrote this at her place. Sorry if it sucks, and this was NOT supposed to end this way but that happens too often and I'm a bad person. Making up a language is fun until the vocab gets too big and you kinda just wanna cry. Truly, all I wanted when I first created my account was to write stories that made people smile, cry and simply remember them. I know what it's like to read and not be able to stop thinking about the story, that's my ultimate goal for my books even if it's just one person I impacted on. So, you must know that every bit of feedback and all the compliments stay with me. I love you guys! - S xx]_ ** _ _


	19. Chapter 19

_Not all those who wander, are lost._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry races from their room, just pulling on some boxers and following Louis' scent like his life would leave him otherwise. It would, it most definitely would. He goes downstairs, into the living room and can't see Ares either. Louis' scent is marred, feeling damaged by something. 

The demon hastily leaves, entering the night outside and the scent of his mate is fading. It's an old scent, and could be dated back to when they returned from the bars hill. Harry goes back inside and finds Sebby asleep on the couch, curled up and ignorantly breathing heavily. 

He goes back upstairs and he knows Louis is still here, now approaching the bathroom and he wishes he could squeeze his nostrils shut because the smell is hurting him now. 

"Lou?" Harry taps the door lightly with his knuckles. 

Sniffles. Soft and _afraid_. Harry's glad Louis is safe, but what made his precious Omega so mad with sadness?

"Open the door, sweetheart." Harry coaxes. 

Inside, Louis is trembling in the bath tub. He felt disgusting. He was a terrible Omega, and now he was going to be punished. He didn't satisfy his Alpha, didn't make him happy. Worthy Omegas never hesitated in that department. 

Harry was experiencing a deep low in his episode after consuming Azrakel blood, and Louis helped him through it. As part of the recovery, Harry was sent spiralling in a desperate attempt to knot Louis again, make them both feel good. But his Alpha was blinded by control and dominance, so he didn't prep his tiny Omega and just roughly glided in after tearing their clothing. 

Louis had cried out at the worst possible pain. Having to accept Harry's two-pronged penis without preparation had caused several tears in his body that bled onto the demon. It was a searing pain, excruciating from the get-go and if Louis was sore before, he's utterly _broken_ now. When Louis got Harry distracted, he slid out from under him and bolted to the bathroom for protection. 

Now he sat in a white porcelain tub, curled up in the tiniest form he can make, shivering with shock and fear. His bum was hurting unreasonably, still dripping a little blood onto the cold glass and he had Ares sitting with him. The dragon whimpered because his person was hurt so badly, and he couldn't help at all.   
Louis' daemon cuddled up to his chest and made little sounds in his ear while the Omega cried, hugging his favourite creature. 

"My love?" Harry tried again. 

The thing is, Louis was _scared._ Genuinely and undeniably afraid, as he sat in their bath tub now with no voice coming from a throat dry because of the screaming.   
He'd never seen Harry like he had just now, and he knows he doesn't ever want to. There was such darkness, deep and lonely pits like gateways to Hell itself in Harry's eyes. Harry used his Alpha voice on Louis too, _made_ him obey and Louis' never been more threatened in his life. 

It was the first time Louis had to remind himself of what a demon was, and that Harry was never going to change. 

Louis wanted to cry but everything was already hurt, and he couldn't _move_ but he needed help. He should be able to heal right away, but this injury was from his Alpha to him, and those injuries almost never fully heal. 

Harry's fist collides with the door, and Louis jumps. Ares growls protectively around his person, very ready to break through brick for this fragile Omega. 

"Lou." Harry's leaning against the door. "I need to know you're okay."

 _But I'm not_ , Louis thinks. 

"Louis." Harry was growing agitated now. "I love you, baby. Please open the door."

Louis panics because from what he saw in Harry not ten minutes ago, he can't be sure that Harry isn't lying now. Harry wouldn't lie to him, he's Harry's mate. But that's exactly it. Harry's his mate, and still didn't pay any mind to him. 

"Do you want me to break the door?" Harry grits. 

_"Protege me, Ares."_ Louis hurriedly whispers, putting his life into the one who has never let him down. (Protect me, Ares.) _"Quae mihi non laedi." (I don't like being hurt.)_

_And really, Ares was going to do that anyway. The dragon seemed to nod, looking him in the eye where the shades of blue matched and-_

_"Louis. Do not move." Harry recites, using the bark of his Alpha voice again._

_An Omega couldn't turn away from the Alpha voice, and now he didn't know what to do. He could run anyway, but that would sever their bond. Louis is supposed to be going to his Alpha for comfort, love._

_"A-Alpha?" Louis couldn't move but he could speak in a tight rasp._

_"I'm coming in, Lou."_

_Harry didn't need to open the door, or break it. He simply found himself standing on the inside of their bathroom after a blink and flash. Louis was ready though, to submit or die. He extended both his hands upward, almost like a wounded child, and Harry scooped him up like a delicate flower to lay on his lap as he slid to the ground.  
Ares was about to react, but Harry was too involved to deal with an annoying dragon, so he swiftly pressed the tip of his nail into Ares' neck. The dragon now had a bit of his essence until Harry took it back. _

_"My sweet boy. I'm so sorry." Harry wants to destroy himself, now hearing little whimpers come from his mate. "Can I see where you're hurt, Lou?"_

__Where I hurt you_ , he thinks coldly. _

_Louis nods and wiggles a lot in Harry's embrace until he's turned on his front. He was both obeying his Alpha and asking for repair, by presenting the bloodied skin the way he was. It was Omega nature to show their mates any injury, as Louis was._

_"P-plea-ease." Louis' shivers were out of control. "M-Make i-it be-better."_

_Harry couldn't. Even as he examined Louis' most private area for where the skin was torn and blood was not clotting healthily, he knew he couldn't. He was a Possessor, and he could not share his blood. A Possessor's blood is poison to even his mate._

_"I.....I can't, Louis." Harry admits, grabbing a towel to wrap around Louis and guard his modesty._

_"B-But.." Louis can't move fast enough, when he tries all that happens is a powerful cry leaves his lips. "Alpha, it's hurting!"_

_Harry was ready to cry at Louis' pleas, but he had to keep his resolve and find another way to fix this. Louis sat up but it was too much to sit on Harry's lap so the demon kept him elevated._

_"I know. I know, my angel." Harry kisses as much of Louis' bare skin as possible, trying to distract him. "This towel looks so big on you, Lou. You're drowning in it."_

_Louis whines and Harry freezes because that's the noise Omegas use to call their Alphas for help._

_"Lou, no. Stop-"_

_"Harry, I'm hurting!" Louis would go on his front and display his behind again if Harry hadn't kept him still._

_Harry crushes Louis to his chest and the Omega whimpers through choked sobs. "Al-lpha, make it stop. _Please it's too much._ Give me your blood."_

_"No." Harry states firmly._

_Louis' heart drops. "I'm sorry, Alpha. Please don't do this. I-I'm sorry I didn't-"_

_"No, it's not your fault." Harry reassures._

_"But you won't h-help me." Louis swallows, eyes shimmering with tears and nose red with sniffles. "You're punishing me."_

_"No, darling, I won't ever punish you." Harry pushes Louis' hair back._

_"You are!" Louis wiggles and shouts in pain._

_"Lou, stop moving."_

_"Please give me your blood. I-I'll do better next time. I won't-"_

_"Stop it, Louis." Harry stands and cradles Louis against his torso. "I'm taking you to Alfred."_

_But Louis already passed out._

_Alfred almost never slept, and so welcomed his visitors without hesitation when Harry flew in through the window._

_"Should have known." Alfred takes the unconscious boy into his office._

_"What?" Harry glares at him._

_"I knew what you were from the moment you stepped through my door. It was only a matter of time."_

_"Fuck you." But Alfred wasn't wrong._

_"You aren't supposed to mate outside your species, Possessor. It's your one rule."_

_Alfred ignores the crudity and lays Louis down on the little bed he uses himself. He goes to his shelf and starts working on something in a cup while Harry goes to Louis._

_"Don't." Alfred says without looking up. "You shouldn't be near him."_

_"And why the fuck not?"_

_Alfred just juts his chin out in the direction of Louis' sleeping form, where the boy lies on his front. There was a dark red stain where his extremely lower back was and Harry was feeling a stab to his chest, multiple ones._

_"Get Niall, the other Omega." Alfred instructs and Harry obliges because this is all for his little Omega._

_After Louis gets an adrenaline shot, he wakes up but Harry isn't there and Niall is. He sits beside Louis and smiles down at him whilst wiping sweat off his neck._

_***LOUIS' POV*** _

_"Alfred has a remedy." Niall says. "Someone needs to put it where you're hurt."_

_Oh. Looking around, I notice the room I'm in and know it to be one I've spent many empty nights in sleeping when I was growing up. I still am, and I haven't yet left this room._

_I try to sit up and Niall pushes me back down onto my front. "Rest, Lou."_

_"W-Where's Harry?" I ask, frowning at the croak in my voice._

_"Outside. Alfred won't let him in, and me too." He looks guilty._

_I nod, accepting this as I curl around the familiar maroon pillow from my childhood. Maybe I didn't want to see Harry, because half of me was still afraid of him. The other part was just angry and so upset that he'd hurt me._

_"We're the best of friends, Lou-" Niall draws the covers up over my bare shoulders. "-but we've never been _this_ close."_

_I smile wryly and try to clench where I previously could, but the shocking pain that comes instead is enough to make me give up. Niall gives me a small sympathetic smile, and shrugs._

_"Y-You don't have t-to do it." I stutter out._

_"Who else will?" He fires back truthfully. "And if you tell _anyone_ I will both deny it, and never be your friend again."_

_***NARRATOR'S POV*** _

_"Don't defend yourself." Alfred shakes his head from where he's leaning against his antique table. "You don't have the right."_

_Harry clenches his jaw and unleashes the black anger in the form of yellow slits for eyes. How dare this man, old bastard that he is, speak to Harry and be so disrespectful?_

_"You don't scare me, _Patéras Daímonas_."_

_Harry smirks, exposing one harmless dimple and a flicker of pointed teeth. "I feed on fear, can smell it in the faintest traces. If I know anything, it is that you are _very_ scared."_

_"I gave consent for your bond with Louis, don't forget I can sever it from the outside. I already have a full mind to."_

_Harry thinks of all the ways he'd happily take this man's life, then store his soul in a vase for displaying. Or maybe hang it up, stretch it beyond what it can handle and make even life after death painful._

_"Why didn't you tell him?" Alfred ignores the evil glint in Harry's eye._

_"It doesn't matter."_

_"Oh. Didn't you think he deserved to know you were one of the last two Possessors in existence? The other being Satan himself."_

_"It would not have changed anything."_

_"He would not have gotten hurt tonight!" Alfred snaps and takes a deep breath to ease the tension blowing his eardrums. "He is not my son but if I had one, I'd still be closer to that lovely boy."_

_Harry looks at this fanatical librarian with interest but an impassive expression._

_"I first met him when his real parents took him on his first hunting trip. He got lost and I was out taking care of the last dragon egg just before it would...well, hatch. I asked him what he was doing, but all he could see was the egg in my hands." The aged man smiles at the fond memory. "He said he didn't want to kill little animals who didn't deserve it. Ares was born that day, and they were both instantly connected.  
"Louis asked me not to let him go back, but I had to. He visited me everyday asking to learn something. He is the brightest pupil I've ever had in my five hundred years of life, with a kind heart and gentle soul. He was so afraid when he was chosen to go for his Initiation. Do you know what he said when he saw me?"_

_Obviously Harry didn't, and it was gnawing at his seams to learn that he didn't know every stitch of information about his Omega._

_"He asked, 'What if nobody will love me?' I made him enter that world with a disability, then use a potion I made to fake an injury. When he told me his mate was a demon, I was happy for him. Then you walked in with him earlier, and I knew he didn't see what you really were. He's innocent, so I understand why you don't want him to look at you differently. He's going to find out, Possessor, be it today or a year from tomorrow but he will and if it isn't from you I can't say he will stay your Omega."_

_"Louis won't leave me."_

_"It won't be him that will leave. How many people know you're a Possessor?"_

_"You, and the seven demons who live here."_

_"Have you been the Dark Forest?"_

_"Yes."_

_"That will be your biggest regret. All the foul creatures who live there know know there's a Possessor here now, and they're going to try to find you. That puts Louis in danger, grave danger."_

_"No. What? I didn't know this, why would they want to see me?"_

_"Not just see, _have_. Those parts believe in a hierarchy and they need a ruler. That's you."_

_"I don't want to lead them."_

_"We cross that bridge later. Now, you need to tell Louis so he is on guard and-"_

_"I will always protect him."_

_"But you're not always around him. When Niall comes out, you're going in and I will know if you've told him or not."_

_Harry closes his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose and nods with a tight jaw. This was too much, though it shouldn't be. In the mortal world nobody cared for his status in the realms of Hell._

_"If you want to turn away from all this and go back, you do it without my boy and without his permission."_

_"I'm not going anywhere." Harry states heatedly. "My mate is here and I'm not going to leave him alone."_

_"Right answer."_

_Niall exits the room with an empty bowl in his hand. Harry looks up expectantly and gets nothing but a glare from the Omega. It was harmless, and Harry knew he couldn't be harmed by someone as weak in power as Niall but he knew the reason behind such a stare which hurt more than it should._

_"Go." Alfred dismisses. "I've never been in the company of a demon for so long and now I know why."_

_Harry grinds his upper and lower jaws together, filing his teeth forcefully and trying to tame the urge to rip this man's throat out. He fails._

_The growling demon pins Alfred to the desk he never left, fingers around his throat and his nails extending to black talons that pierced flesh._

_"Dare you insult me again and I will use what authority I have in the Dark Forest to make your end the most painful one yet." Harry snarls and retracts himself from the bubble of space._

__

  
* * * * *  


Louis' half asleep when Harry joins him in the cosy little office he's asleep in. He is splayed out, still on his front, with his arms tucked under a feather-stuffed pillow. His legs are splayed out under the thin sheet, because keeping his thighs closed would be excruciating at this healing point. 

The demon sits on the mattress beside Louis' hip, extending his boney hand towards the dip between Louis' shoulder blades. The boy shivers under his touch and turns his head to look at Harry, expression faltering from surprise to fear. 

"Lou?" Harry whispers, in a sweet and light tone. 

The boy's eyes open, to reveal tired and shining blue orbs. Still the most beautiful to ever be exposed to daylight. 

Louis hums and grabs the hand Harry brushes his cheek with, lacing their fingers together in a tight grip and hiding it under the pillow he slept on. It was evident he still wanted his Alpha's presence, it calmed his nerves and obliterated his anxiety. 

"Baby?" Harry drops his mouth to Louis' ear. "I'm so sorry I let you down."

"You didn't." Louis blinks tiredly with a mumble. 

"I did." Harry kisses his wrist and the smaller male makes a sound close to a giggle but an exhausted one. "I'm your mate, you're supposed to be safe with me."

"I am."

"Look at what I did to you." Harry presses his cold forehead to Louis' sweaty one. "I'll never forgive myself."

"I forgive you, if you still love me."

"Of course I do, nothing about that will ever change. What makes you doubt my love?"

"I....it's just...Niall couldn't really fix me with the remedy so it'll be a while before we can do anything sexy again."

Harry smiles just because this lovely Omega words things so fantastically. "Why couldn't he?"

Louis gives him a small yawn. "I'm a bit torn inside and he can't touch me there."

Harry's nostrils flare at the thought of another laying their unworthy hands on his mate's little body, reserved just for him in every mind and respect. 

"Do you want me to do it?" Harry keeps his voice calm and empty of hatred as he speaks. 

"You don't have to. There's a syringe on the table behind you, quite a big one." Louis would blush at the obscenity of medicinal value here but he's lost too much blood for that. 

"Thank you." Louis mutters with a pleasant smile afterwards, stiff in all his joints and his body beginning to repair itself. "Those would never have healed."

"Never?" Harry looks at him, horrified. 

"You didn't give me your blood." Louis' eyes flutter. "Why?"

And Harry is reminded of the purpose he has walking into this room. "Lou, I have to tell you something. A confession of mine."

Louis' little fingers are fidgeting with the hem of Harry's shirt just to stay awake. "Could you hold me?"

"I will." Harry rushes to say. "After I tell you this and if you still want me to."

"Okay."

"I.....I'm a different kind of demon."

"Satan's right hand." Louis supplies, he already knew that. 

"Yes and with being Father's right hand, I'm granted a special status. I'm given certain abilities and-"

"Harry, I'm tired."

"I'm a Possessor from Hell."

Louis stops breathing for a whole minute, just staring at the fabric between his fingers and trying to gather a semblance of emotion. 

"I have-"

"I know what a Possessor is. Your powers equal Satan's. You're.....you-" Louis' brows create a frown and he shuffles away from his mate. "-you _lied_ to me."

"Louis, I didn't lie. You know I wouldn't."

"You still didn't tell me the truth!" Louis shouts, curling up in a free spot far away from this demon. "Where's Ares?"

"Baby, listen-"

"No! I want Ares." Louis' in tears and Harry feels helpless for causing this. 

Harry still had control over Ares' actions, and mentally summoned the dragon before extracting his power from the creature. 

"Lou?" 

"Leave me alone." Louis jerks away when Harry tries to touch him. "How could you?"

The demon was wounded himself, feeling a pain so deep inside he could never revoke it. It was the yearn for his Omega's touch, and the anger for being elected to have such power. 

Louis' daemon burst into the room at that exact moment, letting a high-pitched roar fill the air outside before entering. He shrunk down to almost Louis' body size before clambering up to his person. The dragon becomes a protective teddy bear for Louis, lying on him to keep a possessive layer intact. He hisses at Harry but knew he couldn't harm him. The same went for Harry. 

"I wanted to forget I was ever so important in such a terrible place, Lou. I just wanted to be the best mate I could for you." Harry pleads, if he could cry he would have started already. 

"Everyone's in danger now, Harry. It was selfish of you to not tell me when we could have thought of something."

"Thought of what, Louis? Would you not have become my mate?" 

"I would have found a way to stay in the mortal world! Don't make this my fault." Louis glares at him, and Harry's never felt such a sting before. 

"I don't know what to do. Please don't.....don't leave me alone in this."

"You know I won't, idiot." Louis doesn't care he's probably breaking all Omega laws now. "I'm your mate whether you like it or not."

"I do like it. A lot. I love you." Harry sputters. 

Louis disregards the entire thing. "I have close friends here, and they're all in danger. The Dark Forest knows you're here and they're going to come for you."

"I said I didn't want to be with them."

"A lot of lives will be lost trying to convince them. Especially if their leader isn't happy, it won't be just a dual."

"What do you-"

"A war, Harry. A war to declare which side is more powerful."

"If they win?"

"They'll have to kill me because their leader can't have a mate, and you will be their king."

And that was enough to grab Harry's attention, and solidify his decision without an ounce of hesitation. 

"Then I'm stopping this before anything else can happen." Harry states like the worldly truth. "Nobody's fucking touching you but me."

Louis gives him a tiny smile but Ares isn't having it. The dragon blocks Louis' face with its massive head and Harry's had enough of this obstruction. 

"Still need those cuddles, Lou?" Harry asks in the silk voice reserved just for his one truly. 

"Yeah." Louis is already feeling better because the rosy tint returns to his cheeks. _"Quoniam tu solus draco, Ares. Sed etiam parceres Harry."_ (You are my only dragon, Ares. But let Harry hold me too.)

The dragon has to oblige, and shuffles down lower on Louis' body to make room for Harry. The Alpha still isn't too happy with Ares being in that much contact with his mate, but he really didn't have any confidence to say anything. For the first time since he was created, Harry was _tired_.

"Sleep, my only." Harry kisses Louis' forehead and drapes an arm across his back. "I'll be here the whole time."

Louis is nestled in Harry's arms and contentedly falls into an untroubled slumber. He is just about to drift completely into the pool of incredible dreams, when heavy drums begin outside. 

"What the fuck?" Harry mutters to himself and slips out of bed to go see who he's killing next as a treat. 

Except he stops short at the window, even Ares sits on his shoulder without a biting fuss and lazy wings. There's a knock on the office door and Louis groans. 

"Alpha?" Louis gets up shakily. 

"I'm here." Harry answers over his shoulder. "Everything's okay."

But it really wasn't, because never before has Harry seen such bright torch fires come from the forbidden side of the forest. He asks whoever's at the door to come in when he returns to Louis, whose sitting up awkwardly - his behind is close to fully functional - but still scrunches up his nose - cutely, to Harry - when it got too pinch-y. 

Alfred enters the room and doesn't even spare a glance at the mated couple, heading straight for the window with Niall in tow. 

"Oh no." Niall let's it slip and Harry could snap at him for making this harder on him. 

"Lemme see." Louis wiggles around until he's close to the edge. "Harold."

Harry hums and carries Louis to the window like the king of his heart, the boy really is though. Louis gasps and forgets that he's wrapped in a single cotton sheet staring out a window in the arms of a stiff demon. 

The fire was in single files, several of them and seemed to start at the back of the forest. It was marching closer, across their river and onto their territory. These creatures were cruel and going to destroy everything.

"They don't know." Niall says, starting to leave. "I'll let everyone know."

"Go quickly." Alfred ushers him. "Don't let them reach here without guards ready."

Harry turns Louis around effortlessly to face him, clutching the boy to his chest as the loud alarm rings off in the distance. It was the middle of the night and everyone had to awaken to face the greatest horror they ever did. 

Niall leaves and Alfred sighs. "So it begins now."

Harry looks at Alfred with a blank expression and Louis peeking over his shoulder at how their gates were being trampled. 

"The worst of the worst are here." Alfred says slowly.

"I'm turning them back personally." Harry responds.

"Try, but if they choose to fight today then tomorrow there will be none of our kind left."

**_[A/N: Turns out writing Alpha/Omega dynamics is not that easy O.o or Sci-Fi. Now you know what war I was talking abouttttt. Peace out - S xx]_ **


	20. Chapter 20

_Power resides only where men believe it resides. [...] A shadow on the wall, yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

The night was as filled with thick air, like the pressure levels were particularly high on the floor level. The clouds were gone, making a clear view for onlookers to appreciate the twinkling stars. Harry thought they resembled Louis' eyes when he was tired and had a shy glint in his precious blue eyes. 

Nobody would be stargazing tonight, not when darkness was on their doorstep waiting for admittance. 

Louis' healing was almost fully passed, and he could move around the tower without constantly flinching or biting back a sob. The armies of their opposing side has cleared the woods and found their way into Zohrai lands without explicit permission. Torch lights burned into the night so everyone could admire their size and threat. There were at least a couple ten thousand, all varying species but with the same intent. 

Genocide. 

Louis was forced to use the bracelet that's part of Ares' armour for the suit it held, one that would hide his quickly healing injuries and keep him upright during the disaster that's coming. The dragon latched itself to Louis' shoulder, its tail wrapping around Louis' waist like he did when there was a whiff of danger. 

Harry watched his mate with trepidation and dwindling goodwill. What was he doing here? Solving problems that didn't or shouldn't involve him. 

The drums outside have gotten to the loudest amplitude, having been in their territory now without fear or hesitation. Louis sighed as he looked out the window at all the enemies had had without picking any. 

"If we fail-" Louis welcomes Harry's secure arms around his waist. "-promise me you'll be a King I'd be proud of."

"Nobody can be forced into a crown." The demon stared out the window but held Louis' hips in sweet caresses. "And _nothing_ will have us kept apart."

Harry takes this opportunity to mark Louis and re-scent him with traces of his Alpha. He smothers Louis' smaller frame in a tight hug, and indiscreetly injects harmless venom into their mating mark that Louis ignores.

Louis' suit turned black and his eyes stood out brightly against the hue, capturing Harry's admiration and adoration. 

There were such creatures that Louis' never seen before, snarling down below them. The monsters of the night, _Jakarae_ , were standing men with unappealing features. They all varied in size and appearance, but there were a single kind. The Jakare rode beasts called _Kiruse_ since nobody could tame the all powerful Gaxim. 

"They'll think we're cowards." Louis mutters, eyes shifting from person to person in the offending gathering. 

"We most certainly aren't."

Harry was waiting no time in walking down to face this fate, and so grabs Louis before any argument and jumps out the window with his wings spanned out. 

Louis' not scared, because he's fought a battle and knows what real fear is but this is different. This isn't a battle, this is _war_ and wars last days sometimes. They won't fight now, that wasn't on principle, but they sure as Hell would fight some day soon. 

When they reached the ground, all eyes were on them. The empty grounds was now packed will with opposing interests. Where the forest met Zohrai lands, those from the unhealed forest domain stood now. All around their property and glaring at each warrior like they were a meal. The black teeth and jaws were on full display. 

Louis bit his lip but kept his head up, walking a step ahead of Harry. He knew the Jakarae were staring at Ares, wondering why such a powerful creature clung to a fragile Omega. Some growled as he passed them, others smirked and tried to grab him by the hand or waist. 

He hated having to walk so close to them, but he was stationed across the field and needed to get there through a thin pathway. Ares knew he couldn't attack any of them, and inevitably lead to a brawl of great standards. If a person from either side of the river were to attack the opposing region, it would destroy the treaty and end in utter devestation. 

That being said, nobody objected to injury that wasn't fatal. When a rather gutsy member of Jakarae society emitted a hungry chuckle and grabbed Louis' wrist, Louis spun around in time to snap his wrist. The Jakarae howled in warm agony and Harry's lips twitched into a smirk, showing that he was proud of his fully capable Omega. 

Louis gave Harry a cautious look though when the demon threatened to lash out at any others, shaking his head and silently telling him it was worth the trouble so early. 

"Your heart rate is too fast." Harry's body is tight and full of tension. He keeps his true form on and an arm close to Louis, hoping the scent of Louis' blood didn't reach the invaders' nostrils. 

"It has reason to be." 

Louis takes his place beside his squad on the second biggest boulder. Harry has no choice but to stand atop the highest, away from his mate. There were two others already on this stand. 

The current unfit leader of the Dark Forest steps forth through the crowd of his people. His name is Bassilies, ruler of what is empty and sinister. He had dreadlocks that were kept plastered to his skull by his own skin, his mouth was empty save for a tongue and nine rotten teeth. His eyes were hollow and completely black, but the pupils stood out in a horrid yellow. 

He was a kid compared to Harry, but expressing apparent authority is not Harry's objective here tonight. 

"You are in violation of our treaty." The chosen representative for the Zohrai, James, says. He wasn't standing proud and unafraid like he should.

Harry's never met him before and doesn't care to, he's staring down Bassilies with a tipped chin. As Alphas they pride themselves in status, wealth in followers and servants, and dominance. No Alpha wanted to be showed up by another, and Harry was no different. 

"This is allowed." Bassilies tilts his head away from Harry and looks at James dead in the eye. "We have something to claim. I have a fight to partake in."

"What is it you are claiming?"

"I won't speak to you any longer. You are of no standing here." Bassilies directs his attention to Harry again. "The Possessor belongs on higher ground than you."

Harry keeps his wings standing up and stiff, poised as a defence. He raises his head and crosses his arms over his chest. 

"Higher ground than you, Bassilies." Harry's domineering voice echoes into the shadows of nightfall like curtains dropping in an empty room. 

"You know my name, Possessor." Bassilies straightens his back. "But I know not yours."

There was a stir in the crowd now, muffled mumbles and curious speculation. Everyone knew Harry, Louis' mate, is a Possessor. 

Harry ignored the unsettled air behind him. "You won't live long enough for it to matter."

"What did you say, demon?"

"Did I stutter, filth? I won't be your ruler, nor will I fight you." Harry bellows for all present to hear. "Go back."

"I'd like that too because I already know who the bigger Alpha is between us." Bassilies' ridden creature growls. 

"And that Alpha has no time for your games."

"Rules are rules, Possessor."

Harry catches Louis shift from discomfort in the corner of his eye and glances at him for a swift second to check on him. 

Unfortunately, Bassilies saw that too. "Your mate is beautiful."

All eyes turn to Louis, who chews his lip and tries to look untroubled but the attention was eating his equilibrium. He frowned deeply and stared at the ground, hoping Harry understood that he was long beyond fidgety now. 

Harry fists his hands and a loud rumbling erupts from his chest. The protective edge in his Alpha genes shine through like they should. 

"It is a shame his life won't end happy." Louis cringes away from the deviant stare of this man. "I would have loved to share him with you."

That's it for Harry. He jumps down from the rock, throwing away the rule about not initiating a fight, and approaches the leader. When the beast Bassilies is riding snaps at him, Harry catches its jaw and crushes it effortlessly. 

"Never speak of my mate." Harry knocks Bassilies to the ground on heated impulse and shoves his throat into the dry ground. "His image, body and mind, will not tainted by your wretched hands."

Louis' unnerved now and knows this shouldn't be happening. There was too many diversions, gaps of time where anyone could attack. Harry was worsening the situation by running on bravado. 

He clears his throat before calling out. "It's not worth it, Harry! Stop it before you can't go back."

Harry's fist freezes midair and Bassilies tilts his head as he stands on the ground, mocking him with bellied laughter. 

"You came for me? Thinking I am a prize you can _claim._ " Harry lowers his hand and lashes out with fully loaded red hot anger in his voice. "Let me show you what it is you're asking for."

There may have been a flash of fear in Bassilies' eyes but it was too fleeting for everyone to pick up on. Harry did though and he chuckled evilly as the green of his eyes was swallowed by black pits. 

He hadn't used his Possessor form before, had no use for it like scaring and threatening creatures. He kept it hidden, tucked away where nobody would see. He was ready to bring it out now, and he let the flame start up in his chest. 

Harry resembled molten lava in his Possessor form. All over his body were little islands of tough, black skin separated by ravines of flowing red fluid. He spoke no English or any other language in this form, because his mouth was prepped only to rip apart things. His fingers were elongated and sharpened to a fine point, matching his teeth. His wings were black flames that left behind smoke in each flap. 

But each pair of prying eyes only got to see this explosion of a revelation in a blink, before Harry turned back to his true form where he was comfortable. 

"Killing you would be as easy as lifting a finger." Harry spits. "Don't tempt me."

"Temptation is your pillar of life." Bassilies keeps a canine in view as he smiled. 

"Do not lecture me."

"You are a supreme creature of Hell. Why settle with these infidels who will never surrender to your originality? You have so much power-" 

"I will not justify myself to you. As you said, I stand on much higher ground."

Bassilies did not like being stood up. "Our people have rights over you. You fight me, here and now, or these people go against mine tomorrow."

Harry looked up at James for an answer, an official one, then at Louis. Louis wasn't looking at him, in fact his eyes stuck to the blade of grass by his shoe. Harry could feel his tension, unease and slight fear through their bond. 

Bassilies looked from Harry to Louis, then smiled. The demon said nothing, waiting for a verbal response. 

"We'll fight." James announced. "In a week."

"Seven days." Bassilies grins. "Excellent."

"You will not cross our borders for that duration."

"You have my word."

Louis looks up at that, eyes darting to his mate's interaction with this foul advancer. Enemies never withdrew before being forced, shoved into resignation. 

Without getting to think about it for long, Louis crashes to the grass in a screaming tumble. The burn started in his eyes, where it spread to the arteries in his neck and threw scalding material down his air pipe to turn his lungs from fully functional to failing. It was the compromise of a female Jakarae, capable of causing searing pain at any moment for no reason. 

"Louis!" Harry left the arrangement of a current foe and rushed to his mate's side with epic urgency. 

His heart lurches at the sight, while Louis' feels like it's caught alight and will turn to ash.   
Louis' thrashing about because now the venom leaked to his middle and melted his insides. His mating mark that connected him to his lover seemed like the worst torture device, cutting his skin with each teeth mark. 

"What did you do?!" Harry glares at Bassilies with added hatred and countable terror. 

"The great Possessor-" Bassilies extends his arms outwards as a form of bashfulness. "-can you not help your own beloved mate?"

Harry knew why Bassilies was doing this, he was cornering Harry into making a split decision. He wouldn't, because his powers will not touch Louis' mind or body as long as he's alive. Harry's blood was lethal and his powers were too singular to trust. 

Without thinking of the unavoidable circumstances, he seeks and locates the cause of this trouble. Harry opens his hand, symbolising the assailant's heart, then fists his fingers and crushes it. About ten meters off in a tree branch, the Jakarae member clutches her chest before falling. 

Louis gasps and takes excessively deep breaths to calm his heart rate. The reins that kept his chest constricted, painfully tight and oppressive has been released. The air rushes to his lungs.   
He holds back his impulses to grab Harry because he doesn't want to embarass his Alpha here, but Harry knows his duty and gathers the slightly quivering Omega to his chest where he's safe. 

"Okay?" Harry kisses his forehead and lowers Louis to the ground when he starts silently fussing. 

"I'm okay." Louis whispers back, to the attention of everyone. 

Most were in awe, others rolled their eyes and smacked their lips in evident disgust. Some admired how Harry transformed from horrendous and dangerous, to perfectly humble with his vulnerable partner. 

Still, there was an obvious uneasiness present in the atmosphere, almost palpable with its tension now that everyone knew Harry was a Possessor. There would be arguments after this amongst the Zohrai but each person is keeping themself in check for now. 

The threat to Louis' health, the scalding hot flames that permeated through his innards, was a useless attempt at starting a war here where only one side was prepared.   
Bassilies was unsettled by the failure of his mediocre mission, but said nothing. Harry did kill one of his kind, but it was in defense and too pointed to be made on nerve alone. They needed brash, reasonless fighting for an impromptu battle. 

"Leave." Harry hisses, body shielding Louis' like his dutiful habits commanded. "Come back when you have more than laughable strength and _some_ wit."

Bassilies didn't blink when he glared at Harry, eyes narrowed and teeth clenched but visible. Harry's voice and demeanor was too commanding, authoritative and stuffed with sheer _invincibility_ for anybody to ignore. Even Louis flinched a bit, not accustomed to that much hatred in his mate's voice.   
It was the tell-tale sign that Harry had spent enough time trifling with idiots and wanted out. Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy.

Along with his tired armies, Bassilies departed silently and never looked back. Nobody's gaze shifted until after the gates were back in place and locked with marginal voltages of electricity. All around them the metal guards stood twice as tall again and protected their lands. 

When the last Jakarae was out of sight and the howling of deprived hungry beasts was softer, the condition of stability rose amongst friends but now everyone _knew_ and that was going to have consequences.   
Ignoring it all, Harry turned to Louis and cradled the Omega's face in gentle hands. He searched for injury or distraught, found none and relaxed again. 

"This isn't the time-" Harry has a permnanent frown on his forehead, making him look older and so troubled like when in pain. "-for such......petty dilemmas to be manipulated. Bastards. Those horrid creatures are so fucking cunning."

"They just want war, Harry." Louis keeps his tone gentle, voice soft and measured. "Nobody's fought for over three hundred years."

People around them weren't settling back, returning to their huts and houses like they should when it's time to retire. The torches burned bright all around their field, like fierce stars awaiting a show.   
For the first time, Louis didn't feel safe amongst his own people and started to desperately scower the crowds for Niall and/or Liam. 

Every set of eyes was on them, aiming looks that varied from confusion to betrayal. Louis didn't betray anyone, he just fell in love. That's not a crime, it isn't foul play. Love is beautiful, harmonious and so sweet. 

Harry noticed too, while his Omega glanced from person to person urgently, how hostile the looks became. He pulled Louis towards him, flush against his chest and curled one leather wing around his mate for safety. His lips parted when a growl rippled out from the thunder of his chest. 

It was in Harry's mind, a very careful agenda. He knew they'd try something stupid that will end in another death. It was aggravating to think people were so shallow and vile. He shook his head at the internal debate he was having, being the accomplished demon he is.   
Louis shrunk back on himself when nothing changed for the better. He liked to think he was independant, an outright and bubbly individual but that only existed for the outsiders. He truly wished for someone to share himself with since a young age, and liked being coddled and held in safe arms. He liked to know someone was going to take care of him too. 

Those surrounding them with money, standards and unreasonable conduct was ready to exile Harry so he was separated from Louis. 

The heart heals, doesn't it? 

Not for mates, it doesn't. Courtship took effort and copious amounts of love. Mating was a difficult ritual, trying and drained both partners of energy. It took time, patience and to ruin such a strong bond was nothing short of cruel. 

Louis gave up after Niall's quiff could not be seen, and Ares perched himself on Harry's taller shoulder for a better bird's eye view. Almost. 

"When were you going to tell us, son?" Louis' mother was suddenly there, her voice controlled and emotionless. 

If she cared at all, which both mates doubted, she was hiding it graciously. As an upright member of the richest clan, she had certain duties that needed fulfilling even if her son's happiness was to be sacrificed. 

Louis doesn't answer, doesn't even look at her. He hides in Harry's encompassing embrace where he only ever truly felt safe. 

"Louis." She tries again, now the temporary mayor beside her. "You know the rules."

"He doesn't want to speak to you." Harry barks out and they take an involuntary step back, away from the protective demon and his mate. "That is apparent so stop trying to make him."

"You don't belong here, demon." She turns her viper gaze to him in a flash. "Look at what you've done."

"Saved you from imminent death."

"Set in place a war we aren't ready for."

"I assure you, whether I was here or not-" Harry locks eyes with her and uses a bit of his special abilities to convince her. "-you'd be staring down an army thrice your size seven days from tonight."

"Even then-" James clears his throat. "-you being what you are is something we won't ignore."

"Don't ignore it then." Harry smirks bravely. 

Louis shakes his head and tries to get Harry to listen to him, realise what he's just done but the demon isn't looking. 

"Power isn't everything, Possessor." James says coldly. 

"It's certainly-"

"Harry." Louis cuts across. "Enough now. I'm tired."

Had it been anyone else, they'd be slaughtered but it's his Louis so he nods slowly and stops antagonizing the group they're in. 

When Harry spreads out the wing of his that was enveloping Louis and cutting off the night's chill, he doesn't suspect a thing when everyone steps back. 

His nose picks the scent of hot metal too late, and a spear shoots through his wing causing the worst possible pain as it punctures the bone structure. Harry screams and collapses against Louis, who supports him and panics at the sight of the bleeding demon. Louis' heart races, because this spear was covered in holy water, which Harry was a forceful servant of. 

Louis rushes into action, mind blinking by too fast as he hurries to function correctly. He needed to remove the object, or have Harry suffer. When Louis grabs the arrow's head to snap it, save his mate from horror, and remove the obstruction, Harry is yanked backward.   
Louis' got his blood all over him but can only see Harry being dragged across the field to where he will punished. 

_"Ares!"_ Louis shouts, forcing his aching lungs to work. He wouldn't be fast enough on foot, and his heart is folding itself away from the pain already jabbing at him. 

The dragon goes after Harry and breaks the connection with his teeth as Louis gets to his mate, who is trembling slightly from the instant poison to his system. 

"You're okay." Louis chants, pulling Harry's head onto his lap with tears in his eyes. 

He won't lose Harry. They had so much to do together, and Harry was strong anyway. This was practically ridiculous. Harry will get over this. 

When he goes for the arrow again, he is now thrown backwards by several hands. He's up again in no time but people are holding him fast, against his struggle. People surround him, pull him away from Harry who groans and can't fight the toxin in his system anymore. 

Louis knew Harry wasn't using his abilities to fight back, because he was scared it would end in disaster. The Omega would never ask Harry to go against his principles but he needed to right now, or they'd both end in tragedy. 

"Let me go!" He kicks and hollers as he blinks through glassy vision. " _Alpha!_ I need him, let me go! Please!"

Nobody let up and on each try to squeeze out of them, Louis was shoved harder or gripped painfully until his shoulder eventually gave up and popped out of its socket. He shrieked in a long pause-free moment and Harry's head snapped up from where it was lying heavily on the grass. 

Having enough of a spark to fuel his actions, Harry forces the toxin to blend with his existent blood so it didn't cause any harm. He willed his mind to think through a hazy image and growls loudly enough for it to cause vibrations in the eardrums of all those who were listening. 

Louis fell to the ground when they released him, no longer bothered about him but fearing for their lives when Harry didn't get knocked out by herbal treatment. Ares did the job of removing the spear, and decided Harry was worth befriending for now. 

He crouches by Louis and picks him up even though Louis can walk well enough. Louis' shoulder problem solved itself and he tried to get down, but Harry held him tighter. Everyone stared, wide-eyed and helpless, at how calm Louis was around Harry. 

"You have so many legends, rules and instructions." Harry grits, lacing each word with active venomous hypnotism. "Yet, you will never learn how _dangerous_ it is to try killing someone more powerful than you."

Everyone was silent, unable to help it. The circle around them was tight in circumference and each body was empty-minded. 

"Books cannot help you when it comes to war." Harry looks around him. "And you have lost my help in this one."

Louis gives up struggling and listens instead, not understanding what Harry was saying to his people. 

"In seven days, when those armies return to your door I will not pity you-" He looks at James. "-I will not assist you-" Then Louis' mom. "-because you thought too much of your control. Trying to kill me was your first mistake. The second will be banishing me. The third will be remembering the first set because seven days from now you will fall harder than you could ever imagine."

Those around them are stunned, unable to speak and the shooter of the spear is unable to fire another. Harry has them all in his grasp, fragile and susceptible to his will. He could ruin them all now, make it easier for Bassilies but they were not friends either and Harry would prefer it immensely if he got to watch each of these spinless barbarians lose their heads in a week. 

There is one person who could stop Harry, make him halt and think, but that person was silent in his arms. Harry mistook this for submission, but what Louis really did was think.   
Think about whether he could actually abandon people who helped him grow into his suit when they were facing imminent death. Think about if it was the right decision to cut ties with them in exchange for a life free and with the one he loved, cared for the most. 

Ares wrapped around his waist, letting Louis feel the reassuring drag of his tough scales as he squeezed his middle. Harry removed the fixation he'd placed on these spectators, and disappeared from their sights before any further action could be taken.   
They were in the sky, and Louis is reminded about how he'd promised Harry to go flying with him soon. 

He would be understood, because a mated bond is never underestimated. It's not just a bond to him, he was bonded with Victor and felt absolutely nothing but vivid irritation for the man. What he had with Harry was precious, exceptional in its make and very rare. These misguided people would understand him, but not forgive him.   
Thing is, these people are not those whose opinions he seeks. Alfred. Niall. Swift. Liam. _Harry._ Those people he will reconsider his judgment for, but not anyone else. 

"You are inside your mind." Harry's wings create heavy winds as he settles at the top of Alfred's tower. They would go inside soon enough. 

"It's a lovely place to be." Louis' voice was small, but not regretful. 

"I'm sorry, kitten." Harry pulls Louis between his legs and kisses his temple. 

"What for?" Louis rests his head on Harry's shoulder, lolled to the side where he could take in the view. 

"Today was not as I intended it to be."

Louis closed his eyes for a moment, too tired after the day's events to keep up all pretenses. "I don't blame you for having instincts, Hazza."

"A lot was revealed today. A lot."

"I know."

"You must be angry about something."

Louis was not disturbed by their invaders, because he's faced uglier and not a firm bone in him is shaking now. 

"I'm just tired." Louis admits. He's suffered more injuries today than his body can comprehend. 

"What will we do now?"

"What we have to, of course."

Harry sighs and leans back against the center piece of the roof. From up here, they could see the forest surround them like clustered dark clouds. The river that divided the dark from light stood out dimly. Far off was the lands of other tribes and people, that Louis wanted to take Harry to visit. And farthest away, was the ocean that stretched to the end of the universe. 

"It is beautiful." Harry whispers. 

"It is." Louis shifts his leg so Ares can sit comfortably. "We can be Nomads."

"I like settling down though."

"Then let's do that far away from all this."

"I am not pressuring you, my only. You may do what makes you absolutely happy."

"You make me absolutely happy." Louis states with no hesitation or doubt in his voice. 

"As you make me every single day." Harry buries his face in Louis' warm neck right where his pulse beat strongly against the pale skin. 

Louis realises something in that moment. "Harry?"

"Sweetheart?"

"I can't do it." He gulps, swallowing saliva hard enough for it to hurt on its path down. 

"Do what?" Harry stiffens and turns Louis around to look at him. 

"I can't leave them, not when this is our fault."

"Louis-"

"I know I, as a single person, won't make much of a difference but at least I'll be at peace knowing-"

"Louis."

"Yes?"

"What are you asking me?"

Louis stares at his hands for a long while. "T-To fight?"

"I won't do that, Lou. Too much is at stake."

"I-I know but.....please?"

Harry couldn't say no to Louis, but his pride stood at a fair advantage too. "I won't fight, Louis."

Louis' shoulders sag in defeat and he looks away from Harry. 

"But if you are of utmost certainty that those people cannot properly defend themselves, then I will bring in my secret weapons."

The boy's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning, lit by the stars and excitement. "Thank you!" He tackles Harry in a hug. 

Harry laughs and grips Louis as tight as he can. "You are my special boy, I'd do anything for you."

"I wouldn't ask you for this if I wasn't very sure."

"I know, my love. I know." Harry brushes Louis' hair aside. 

"What is your secret weapon?"

"You love Greek Mythology?"

Louis nods vigorously. "I do. Yes."

"Ever heard of titans?"

**_[A/N: Phew! Close one, wasn't it? I love u guys! - S xx]_ **


	21. Chapter 21

_Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power._

***HARRY'S POV***

"Get the Hell down from there!" Come's Niall's wavering voice from the window below us. 

"Sorry." Louis giggles and stands up in a swift move like we aren't on the highest building in these parts.

He dusts himself off, but the rustic look the speckles of brown dirt gave him appeared as attractive. His back is to me, and the moon shines eloquently around him, forming a gracious frame around every sensuous curve I've laid claim on. Ares adds to the mystic feel by slithering up Louis' body to sit on his shoulder.   
Louis' body is easily fitted to the spaces mine left out. He filled my gaps and occupied the vacancy where my heart is supposed to be. 

Aside from his body, his mind and opinions appealed to me as well. He was efficient in quick thinking, witty and very censored in certain remarks. All the things that I wasn't. I thought long and hard before answering, never took to uneasy risks and spoke whatever it is that I wanted. 

There was certainly nothing lacking in his physique department either, which is what I've said from Day One. He had lovely bronzed skin, still pale but not cancerous in view. His little hands slotted into mine like ideal puzzle pieces. 

His heart beat for the two of us, but my chest still hurt from separation and if a tiny amount of harm came his way. 

"Need a hand?" There's that voice again, musical and magical all in one beat. It's slightly amused this time. 

I realise that I've been staring at him while he laughed at me without noticing. Shaking my head, I jump to my feet and get to stand over a foot above him. 

"Can I hold you?" I ask, blurting out the odd question. Okay, maybe I didn't think before speaking. 

"Now?" Louis cocks an eyebrow at me. 

As a forward answer, I wrap an arm around his middle and pull him toward me. Ares growls and slides to the ground before slipping inside through the window. 

"Why did you ask?" Louis' fingers, cool and soft to the touch, caress my cheek where the flesh was hot and disgusting. I was still in my true form. 

"Permission." I don't recognise my own voice as I close my eyes and lean considerably into his touch. 

Louis smiles - I hear his little happy breath - and I tighten my arm around him. 

"I don't like kissing you like this." I complain in a grumble. 

"Then don't." Louis grins. "I-"

"Today!" Niall's sour tone rings through the air again. 

Louis throws his head back as he laughs and I'm staring at the short column of his neck again. It's so perfect, reflecting moonlight and looking its softest. I can't resist the temptation to just lean in and sink my teeth into the skin. I use my blunt molars so he isn't actually hurt by me - I've done enough of that for one lifetime.  
He gasps and plants a hand on my nape for support, not shrugging me off at all. 

His skin is warm, supple and the best taste my mouth has experienced. He's sweet but intoxicating, not a trace of sour in sight. I press my lips to the exact spot as I slip into my human form, trusting the night to blanket my nudity. 

Forgetting Niall below us, he bares his neck to me as a sign of submitting trust where our mating mark is. I kiss all around the scarred tissue and take a bit of skin into my mouth before sucking hard enough for it to bruise attractively. He moans into the cold air and presses his fist to my bare chest. 

"We are not making love on a rooftop." He chokes on the desire flowing through him. "Who knows what traps Alfred has set?"

I smirk against the crook of his neck and revel in the overload of my scent melting into his. 

"So beautiful." I praise, squeezing his hip and running my nose along his jaw. "So, so beautiful, kitten."

The baby hairs on his face brush my cheek as I pull back to watch his cheek turn pink. Our foreheads rest against each other and he smiles up at me, drunk on feelings alone. 

"I worship you, Louis." I lace our fingers together and capture his lips in a sweet kiss. "Every day of my life is dedicated to you."

"And you." He presses himself closer to me, cerulean eyes sparkling. "Me and you. I exist for you, and now we have the ultimate test to face."

"Too soon." I shake my head and bury my face in his hair. "I want a moment with you now."

"You can have all of me. I am yours." 

"My darling, I see no world beyond you."

"Harry." He sighs and his shoulders droop. 

"Yes?"

"I am still feeling guilty."

"Don't. Guilt....won't make it better now. We have to just prepare ourselves for-" Something nips at my ankle and I tense, instantly flowing into my true form again. 

Louis rolls his eyes and bends to grab this offending creature. It turns out to be our kitten, Sebby, who was put on the roof by a cheeky but annoyed Niall. 

"Let's go before he sends Ares up here." Louis holds the cat in one arm and willingly accepts mine with his other. 

I manage to get us through the window with minimal damage, which means none. 

Louis sits on the wide, strong table with his ankles crossed and Sebby in his lap. I stand by the window, near him, and cross my arms as everyone sees our arrival. 

"You called?" Louis looks pointedly at Niall. 

The other Omega flips him off, and it might have been a joke but I won't stand for it. When a growl releases from the heat of my chest through bared teeth, he stops immediately but Liam feels the need to step in. The other Alpha in the room flares his nostrils and clenches his fists, ready to snap like the puppy he is. 

"Oh for the love of dragons, stop it." Alfred enters the room through the only available doorway. 

He waves our little debaccle off like it's nothing, and I feel a familiar comfort arise in the form of Louis' fingers locking with mine. He tugs a little on my wrist until I look at him, concerned. 

"They're uncomfortable." He whispers when I bend down to be on his level. "Change to your human self."

"Louis-"

"Do it." 

I nod and oblige nervously, just as he twists the ring he'd gifted me and a reassuring pat of clothing comes down on me. He smiles approvingly at the black outfit, and turns me back around before I can do something outrageous like kiss him silly. 

"Now." Alfred clears his throat and demands all eyes on him in the center of the room. "It didn't go very well, did it?"

That was downplaying what happened outside by a mile. I sigh and keep Louis' hand in mine as I cross my arms again over my chest. 

"Louis?" He asks the thoughts of my mate. 

"You could say that." Louis changes into the mode I've only seen once before: when he fought the troll. "We'd avoided a full-out war by the breath of a hair."

"What did James say?"

"A week. We have a week to prepare for them."

"Possessor?"

I look up at him from where I'd been counting the fine hairs between Louis' first and second knuckles. "What?"

"Do you have a strategy, considering you played a big enough part in this problem?" Liam rephrases for him, brave now that he had an older Alpha to mind him. Spineless-

"Titans." Louis quotes as he senses the direction of my thoughts. 

"From Hell?"

 _From your garden._ "Titans exist nowhere else."

Liam takes this like the news of a deceased aunt and nearly falls into the chair that Niall was perched on the arm-rest of. Some Alpha. 

"Bringing titans here will be....will _have_ grave consequences, Harry." Alfred says to me. "They cannot be controlled-"

"By an ordinary demon." I correct him. "But I am not ordinary and I have commanded them before."

"Titans will destroy everything in their path."

"Not if they're faced in the right direction."

"No." Alfred shakes his head. "Too risky."

"What do you suggest then?" I push off the wall and drop Louis' hand as I stalk towards him. "Fight a battle you aren't prepared for and just fucking _hope_ you win?"

"We use the resources we have, Harry." Alfred responds. "Not yours."

"Fine." I feel the itch start to grow in my cold palm from the lack of presence of another hand. "What are those then?"

"Call for aid." He decides. 

"Alfred, we hardly have any alliances left." Louis finally speaks up, after finally finding his place in this conversation. 

"That's because we didn't need 'em." He points to the sky and bites his lip. "We send out riders to the North where the goblins are."

"They will come just because they have friends here." Niall supplies. 

I back up to where Louis is and lean against his table, retaking his hand and satisfying the twitch in my palm. He sets Sebby down and slides forward towards the edge of the desk, tiredly leaning into my side. 

"We could ask the warrior clan in the East." Liam offers. "We haven't spoken to them in months but I'm sure their loyalty to us still stands."

"It's too far, Liam." Alfred dismisses. 

"A three day trip?" Louis butts in. "I can make it if I leave today."

Woah. What?

"Then you won't be here to help us-"

"There are tribes on the way. I have friends everywhere, Alfred. I will send aid as I go along."

"Three days, Louis. We have seven."

"Three days going and a day to spare. I can do this."

Why wasn't I getting a say in a _fucking three day trip_ to play friends with outsiders?

"Fine. You can leave tomorrow at dawn. We'll meet at the stables."

Louis is proud of his accomplishment and smiles gratefully. I gaze down at him with a puzzled frown. "Three days?"

"Six actually." He teases. "You're coming with me, obviously."

"Good because any other way and I'd have tied you to me." I kiss his forehead and get a whiff of his scent from the proximity. 

"We'll go North." Liam raises his hand. 

"And I'll go South with Swift to get the Quandor armies." Alfred looks at the grand clock over his warm fireplace. "We have all day today to make sure nobody finds out about our plan."

"Don't they start counting today as the first of seven days?" Niall asks. 

"No. The rules state that if a time allocation is granted, the clock commences the day after even if it is a minute after midnight."

"Excellent. Let's all get some sleep."

"Uh." Alfred stops anyone from leaving the circular room that's gotten stuffy from stale dust and body odour by raising his palms. "Not a good idea."

"And why not?" Finally, some authority from Liam. 

"Those people out there are after Harry and Louis. They saw them come in here so if anyone leaves, it's straight into a trap."

"But-" Niall seems to have it in his head that this is a classroom. "-I'm hungry."

"Swift is out there, he could bring us food and stay locked up in here too until tomorrow."

Louis pouts and blows out a loud breath, flicking his fringe away from his eyes. He lays lengthwise on the table after I relent and sit on it as well, my back against the cold wall.   
Liam sits in a massive leather chair with Niall on his lap, half asleep. Niall's partner/creature prances around the room before settling at the Omega's feet. 

"Are you hungry?" I ask Louis, encircling his little ankles with my hands and dragging his feet onto my lap. 

Sebby has been in a fight with Ares for a minute now, and the dragon seems to be winning this time. Sebby tries to scratch him, but Ares takes to elevation to avoid being hit. 

Louis nods and yawns at the same time. Ares, being the dutiful daemon he is, makes a small noise when he climbs up the table and comes to play a pillow under Louis' head. It was an admirable bond between these two, and I knew Ares loved Louis as well. 

"I'm sorry, love." I open my arms for him. "Come here."

He climbs onto my lap, curls himself up against my chest so his heartbeat is audible to me and closes his eyes. I support him with an arm around his back and the other ensuring he was always comfortable. Ares helps Sebby back onto the table, because somehow this because our territory now, by harmlessing gripping the kitten's collar with his teeth and flying up. 

"Stay awake, Lou." I weakly urge. "You have to eat."

He yawns again, his mouth opening wider now before he buries his face in my shoulder. 

"Do you want to play a game so you don't nod off?"

He groans and fiddles with the zip of my suit, his beautiful eyes half-lidded and his posture childish. 

"Please?" I was merely tried to keep him awake long enough to get some food in him before he sleeps. "How about _I Spy_?"

"Really?" He laughs. "Of all the games in the world?"

"I always liked this game."

"Okay then. You go first."

"Colours or alphabet?"

"Colours."

"Okay um....-" I look around the room for any suspect. "Something green."

"The wallpaper?"

I press my lips to his neck and smile. "Nope."

"That little frame over there on the table?"

Another kiss, a bit higher now. "Wrong."

"The carpet!" That wasn't even Louis, but Niall who seemed exasperated by Louis' failed answers. 

"Oh yeah." Louis chuckles when his eyes drop to the rug. "Thanks, Niall. You're on my team."

"We're playing in teams?" I ask when Louis' suddenly attentive and sitting cross-legged on my lap - thankfully there's no blood flow to stop. 

"Why not?" He leans back against me and I almost think it's his way of convincing me. 

"Alright."

Alfred shakes his head and laughs in the corner of this room, probably ridiculing my methods of entertainment. I don't blame him. 

"My turn, something white?" Louis throws into our little circle of 'fun'.

"Easy, the door." Niall answers. 

"The door's brown, Niall."

"The other side."

The game goes on for almost thirty minutes with just Louis and Niall arguing. When the food arrives with Swift, I'm more than grateful.

  
* * * * *  


***NARRATOR'S POV***

Niall, Harry and Swift had expected a hateful - and vengeful - mob to surround the tower with pitchforks and threats but no such thing happened. Niall was the only one disappointed. 

Since boredom struck - these individuals were much too capable for exaggerating future plans - they brought out an old board game from Louis' collection in the tower. 

"I told you, they have bigger problems to solve." Alfred explains from where he's scribbling in a notebook. 

"They're probably having some big meeting." Liam scoffs and leans back in his chair. "Pointless."

The board was a square, but Louis lifted a thin strand from the center of the shape and it became a cube as tall as Harry's forearm - if stood up.

"Oh! I remember this game." Niall cheered, sitting across from Louis with a familiar grin on his face. 

"What?" Liam blinks rapidly. "You've played this before?"

Harry could not be more confused, and he hated it. Louis starts to explain what this game is while Niall defends himself from his arguing Alpha. 

"You have to stick your hand in for as long as you're told by another player. It's only scary because you don't know what's inside and what could touch you." He says. 

Harry frowns at the moving crystalline cube. "Why is this fun for you?"

"It was a training method for me, taught by Alfred over there." He points to the man briefly. "We used to do it in complete darkness."

He still wasn't happy with this, or that story but they had no other choice and Louis was excitable already. 

"Let's do this."

Harry doesn't play, instead he let's his fidgety Omega sit on his lap - where he is undoubtedly safe - while _he_ played. Niall won eventually because Louis made a small peep when something too hairy brushed his fingers and pulled out faster than lightning. 

Passing the day was difficult, and Harry felt it was his duty to ensure Louis was never bothered or irritable. It was a tiresome obligation because the tower was extremely humid during midday and they'd all grown a tad fussy. Harry was used to hot environments so he didn't complain at all. 

For once, Harry was channeling the positivity in his Possessor abilities and was quite pleased. Louis didn't want to cuddle - blame the heat - but Harry could cool his own temperature - until he reached icicle conditions - and wrapped his arms around Louis anyway.   
The boy cooed and turned to burrow into Harry's chest, appreciative of the cool touch as he smiled against Harry's throat. 

"Better?" Harry kissed Louis lips where they pouted. 

Louis nods almost shyly and starts drawing with his finger on Harry's chest where the light springs of hair has begun to show. The demon, in return, used a gel ink pen from the table before them to draw on Louis' ankle. 

"You seem off today, kitten. Why?"

It takes a moment for Harry to realize that Louis' stopped tracing hearts on his skin. He waits patiently for a reply. 

"I'm scared." Louis' voice sounds like a husk of what it was before. "I'm scared of what's going to happen. Tomorrow. _In seven days._ What if they say no and we come back to a battle we're losing with no help? All my friends, they'll be in danger and I can't help them. _You_. Harry, I'm not ready to lose this."

Harry rushes to calm the tired and emotional Omega. They share many of the same pent-up nerves, but Harry is just better at hiding his. 

"Shh." Harry cups the sides of Louis' face and pulls him up to straddle him. "No tears, angel."

Louis sniffs and let's Harry wipe away the moisture from his cheeks, under his nose. 

"You're not losing anyone." Harry kisses Louis' closed eyelids. "I know you're scared, that's okay. Nobody's going to hurt you, Lou. I won't let them. And I've got to be here for that, innit? I'm not leaving you for anything."

It's not much said on his part, but it calms Louis down enough. 

"Sleep, please." Harry encourages. "You need your rest."

When Louis' little fists hold Harry's suit slightly tighter than necessary, the demon lies down on the couch and allows Louis the chance to curl up on his front. 

"I'm not going anywhere." Harry repeats, kissing Louis' forehead.

  
* * * * *  


They didn't need to sneak out when the time to leave came around. They used Ares as their mode of conveyance from the tower to the stables Louis and Swift owned. 

"Sound the siren, why don't you?" Niall sarcastically remarks about the loud manner in which Liam is opening the lock. 

"They're not going to-"

"Gentlemen." Alfres sighs as Louis giggles, bemused. "Just open the damn door."

Of all the creatures inside, only the horses were needed. Louis brings out his stallion first, jet black with a white star on his forehead and named Sirius. Harry gets to choose but the burgundy racer seems to like him. Niall pokes Louis abundantly until the boy looks up to see one of his best trainees following Harry around the stable. 

"Hazza?" Louis approaches them and takes Dexter's - ther burgandy racer - reins. "I think he likes you."

Harry makes a little puzzled frown with his eyebrows before letting a small smile slip. 

"Saddle up!" Alfred shouts from the doorway. "Someone's coming."

That puts everyone in a hurrying mode well enough. Louis puts all the satchels Alfred prepared for him on the saddle's end before graciously hopping on and trotting around in a circle impatiently. 

"Let's go." Louis urges as the shadow figures of more than a dozen men become more clear. 

Harry comes out next, mounted on Dexter who's playing obedient for once. When everybody is out on the field, the group of visitors is too close for comfort and Louis' horse blows out through his nostrils as he backs up. 

"Leave now." Alfred waves at Louis and Harry. "We will contact you if needed. _Go!_ "

Alfred wouldn't this insistent if he knew they were safe with whoever was nearing them. Louis nods and glances at each friend before whistling for Ares and taking off. They couldn't bring a cat with them, and Swift seemed quite taken by the mortal creature so he would be looking after Sebby for a while now. 

When Louis looks back over his shoulder, he sees their group break apart and head in opposite directions. He turns forward and stands up a little so the bumps of such hurried galloping didn't hurt him. Harry was close to his side, and this wasn't in the racing spirit yet for them to have any fun as the forest swallowed them up. 

**_[A/N: I know this chapter was boring and uneventful. I'm sorry :( but I needed to get this out there before the weekend and there probably won't be aby updates for the next two days but I'll try. Hope u enjoyed this. Big love! - S xx]_ **


	22. Chapter 22

_**[A/N: It's so darn hot here it's not even fair. Dammit.]** _

_One may tolerate a world of demons for one angel._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

They'd been on the elected guiding path for over three hours and the sun's just started to rise from behind the peeks of exotic trees. Now that Louis was on the road, he was a little more rest assured than he was stuck in a tower. He allowed his body to relax and in that, become drowsy from only four hours of sleep over a span of fifty-two hours. 

"Love?" Harry's been watching Louis from the corner of his eye for the past hour and didn't feel happy with the way the Omega's body swayed with each step. 

"Hmm?" Louis seems to have an energy boost and looks up as if nothing is wrong. 

"Are you tired?"

"Little bit." Louis admits, a baby yawn coming from his mouth. 

"We should stop."

"No!" Louis' eyes widen at the preposterous idea. "We can't lose any time, Harry."

"We'll just get some rest then go on for a long stretch." Harry brings Dexter to Sirius' front and cuts him off so Louis had no choice but to stop. 

Louis figures that it's a good idea considering once they moved beyond Zohrai borders, they were prone to every wandering danger. He nods and dismounts, holding Sirius' reins to be tied to a solid tree. 

"We don't have to set anything up." Louis tells his Alpha. "We don't have that much time."

"We're taking as much time as you need." Harry steps into Louis' space and kisses his forehead. 

"Then we're not going to be long." 

Harry sighs and shakes his head, re-enlightening himself on just how stubborn his mate is. He smirks and grabs Louis' wrist, pulling him against his chest where the Omega raises a questioning eyebrow at him. 

They spend their break at the very top of a tree where Harry insists - not ever using his authority - that Louis sleeps and when the boy does fall asleep he hasn't got the heart to wake him up. Harry ties Sirius to his horse and sets Louis in front of him on his saddle before moving on.   
Harry wasn't familiar with these parts, these _lands_ actually, but Alfred had showed him a map for guidance. He memorised it but took the aged sheet anyway just in case - not likely - that he forgets. 

There doesn't seem to any movement around them, and Harry's willing to bet his arm that he could pick up any shifting life form before they pounced. None did so yet.   
The path didn't change and Louis was a soundless sleeper, wrapped around Harry's middle in a way that reminded him Louis had not many people to rely on. 

Sirius has Ares on his back and the dragon is on high alert, Harry knows why. They'd just gotten to the river that would separate them from Zohrai safety. This way didn't lead them to the Dark Forest but the unknown is just as terrifying. 

Harry can't get either Sirius or Dexter to step into the water, and he isn't sure why. He withdrew until the shore was between the water and them, his horse braying as if sickly. The noise gets Louis up and he almost falls off the saddle had Harry not wrapped a secure arm around him. 

"What?" Louis scratches his eyebrow with his index and crack his knuckles. "You didn't wake me up."

"You looked too precious sleeping." Harry kisses Louis' nose then his lips for the sweet taste. "And we only just got to the good part."

Louis glances over his shoulder and nods. "They didn't go in?"

"No."

"Good. Mer-people live here and I trained the horses not to go near them." Louis slides off Harry's saddle and unhooks Sirius. "They need to be led on foot."

Harry nods and jumps off his high perch. Zohrai horses were plenty bigger than those belonging to the mortal world; they were stronger and demanded more respect. 

"Some mer-people are friendly." Louis takes off his all-encompassing cape with hood to drape over Sirius' back. "But most aren't."

"Is that why they surround your land?" Harry goes first, out of instinct, to test the waters. 

"Mostly. Most incubuses come from their species." Louis follows after when nothing jumps out at them and no horribly sweet singing commences. 

"Aren't those....-"

"Yeah, demons. These ones are just the only water folk who can develop legs."

"To have sex with strangers?"

"Precisely." Louis giggles and they go further into the light current until it's up to their thighs. 

The water's freezing and Louis' cheeks pale as a result. Harry doesn't notice the visible change but Louis' trepidation flows through their bond to him.

"Lou?"

"I'm fine." He immediately answers. "Just cold."

"Too cold?" 

"No, this is normal."

This really _was_ normal but that could easily tip over if the temperature dropped anymore. The little waves created by the breeze knocked Louis' sides and Sirius remained calm enough to follow without argument. Ares stared at the river, coaxing a response with the mere twitch of his eye. 

"Have you met an incubus?" Harry senses the unease running through Louis and decides a distraction is good. 

"Once."

Harry chokes on the air he doesn't breathe just as he gets to the opposite end. "When?"

"They don't crave sex at all hours of the day, Hazza." Louis teases, not at all intimidated by the giant mass of towering trees before them. "I got to speak with one when she came to visit Alfred."

This picks at Harry's further and he raises both eyebrows to meet his hairline. "Really?"

"Stop it." Louis laughs as he dries Sirius' stiff muscular legs after his own. "She was an old friend."

"You're just making it worse." Harry chuckles, shoving down his guard for a small amount of time. "Have you been here before?"

"For training, yes." Louis gets back on his horse as Harry does. "The forest isn't scary, but we might meet creatures who don't favour our kind."

Harry stiffens with tension and Louis comes up by his side to kiss his cheek. The Alpha isn't happy with this at all, but according to Louis they had no choice. Louis was too calm about everything which was always a very bad thing. 

"I have a friend Lycan." Louis starts moving on as Harry eventually does. "He can help us if we need it."

Harry's inner Alpha is not pleased with seeking help from a stranger, let alone a Lycan. Lycans were an all male race of advanced werewolves, which meant all Alphas. 

"Harry?" Louis takes the demon's hand despite him not needing comfort. "You can go back, I don't mind."

"No." Harry curts. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Then what's keeping you quiet?"

Harry glances at each tree respectively, ensuring no ears or eyes were spying on them before speaking. "You have a Lycan friend."

At that, Louis breaks into a fit of muted giggles before he kisses Harry's cheek and jaw. "And?"

"I don't like him."

"Because he's Alpha?"

"Yes." Louis gives him a sweet kiss on his lips that melts Harry's tough shell. "You have to kiss me like that in front of him."

"Deal." Louis blushes and snaps his fingers. "Now, we must go."

Louis meant business when he said that, taking off between the tree trunks like it's a way he's known since his early years. 

Harry knows these woods aren't like mortal ones, he can _feel_ the extra forbidden energy. This is where the outcasts came to live, to thrive. His senses were overwhelmed for a moment, the deep presence of the woods trying to undermine his abilities. Lucky for him, he's learned to hone his capabilities and lived long enough to have mastered the art. 

They travel for thirty minutes with no difficulties, that is until they come to a dried riverbed that looks like a dead campsite. 

"Someone was here?" Louis frowns. 

"Shh." Harry pulls his horse to a standstill and the thick air seems to be waiting for him. "Someone _is_ here."

Louis' not easily scared by much, so he mentally eliminates all the kinds of beings that would be here with such civilised equipment. Lycans lived in castles so why would they camp? Lost wanderers? Refuges from other parts maybe. 

"We should move." Louis fights ignoring the weight on his shoulders. He knew who this was now, _what_ they were. "Really, Harry."

"Yeah, okay." Harry nods and urges on. 

Their observers watched from above, on the treetops. They hissed at the Zohrai boy who didn't hear them, but didn't offend the more powerful man he was with.   
When the three hanging human-bats realised just who this person was, they swooped down and spooked Louis' horse into standing on its hind legs and backing up. 

Louis gained control of Sirius again in time for Harry get in front of him, growling out of sincere irritation. 

The new creatures changed from having flabby bat wings to human arms and their fangs shrunk considerably. There were three, and the leader was a man with black hair and a smirk. 

"You are certainly lost, Possessor." The leader spoke bravely, lisp in his vanacular and bright red eyes flickering from Louis to Harry. 

"It's nothing to you." Harry pulled Louis' ride up next to him. "So go the fuck away."

Louis didn't like swearing, and here he knew Harry's cussing only provoked these creatures. 

"But we could be of service. My name is Daniel." The first vampire bows. 

"We don't need help."

"Then why are you here?"

Harry remains quiet, staring at Daniel with blood lust in his eyes. Louis feels this needs to end or time will just continue to be wasted. 

"We didn't touch your camp so we owe you nothing, not a word." He speaks up. "Kindly let us through."

"An Omega who speaks above his Alpha." Daniel tsks. "Things have certainly changed."

"Yes, it has. That is why your people are all dead." Harry snaps. 

Daniel's expression hardens and his thin tongue juts out from the corner of his mouth. "You are too proud for your own good."

"Harry." Louis stops the demon before anything too harsh can be said or done. "We're late."

Harry nods at his mate, albeit stiffly since he didn't get to crush this argument and his opponent, before making Dexter push past them. 

"Come again!" Daniel shouts, smirk evident in his voice. 

"No." Louis has to make Harry hold himself back. "They're not worth the trouble."

They go on but Harry's a boiling pot of testosterone, all he really wants to do is go back and maybe bury those vampires under a tree. They'd deserve it, rotten corpses that they are.   
Louis didn't speak either, somehow the little fun this expedition had has now officially been taken away and he's slightly afraid of the dark look in Harry's eyes. 

"What's the matter?" Harry takes note of Louis' lack of speech, and doesn't admire the grave look of Louis biting his lip. 

"Nothing, Harry." Louis answers immediately. 

Even though Louis was a bit on the witty side with almost nothing that stumped him, he spent years learning about two things: being a warrior and being an Omega. The latter was less flattering but not discerning, Louis had to just do as asked sometimes. It was a matter of principle that has existed for centuries. 

"Tell me." Harry starts worrying his upper lip and slows down enough to be trotting beside Louis' horse. 

"I'm fine." Louis even smiles for reassurance. 

"Are you tired?"

Louis shakes his head, eyes glued to his hands where most submissives looked when worried. 

"My only." Harry sighs. "Your mood is making me uneasy."

"I-I...." After all that effort, Louis was being reprimanded now. "I'm sorry, Alpha."

"Hey now." Harry sets both their stallions into an abrupt stop. "What's brought this on?"

"What on?"

"You never address me as Alpha unless you're unwell or in trouble. Which is it?"

Louis shakes his head and looks away at his saddle, shifting in his position to ease the discomfort on his groin. Harry clasps his hand tightly, letting the hostile atmosphere surrounding them drop like thunder. 

"Was it my behaviour back there?" Harry ignores the way Ares is staring at the clouds and kisses Louis' knuckles, each one awarded a tender peck where the pale skin stretched over the bone. 

"Yes." Louis was lured out of his shell by the sweet caress of Harry's lips. "You could have handled it better."

"They're bloodsuckers, Lou. Common courtesy has no effect on them." Harry keeps Louis' hand as they move on. 

"It wouldn't have been for them. Whether they deserved it or not, we aren't supposed to draw attention to ourselves."

"What would you have changed about our conversation then?"

"We should have not said anything and left. They didn't threaten us."

"And whose to say they weren't going to? My authority saved us."

"Your arrogance earned us another enemy when we already have an abundance of them."

Another sigh, because Harry didn't really have a response for that. "You're right."

Out of surprise, Louis keeps his composure and doesn't respond. He isn't _glad_ he proved his Alpha wrong, knowing fully well that it didn't strip Harry of any status benefits. It was just rare and made Louis nervous. 

"I should not have been so brash." The demon continues. "I'm sorry."

Louis offers him a real smile, small but effective in making Harry smile back. "It wasn't my place to say what I did either, so I'm sorry too."

"What do you mean?"

"I feel bad for almost _scolding_ you and I really shouldn't have. Omegas can't do that."

"You're my _Louis_. Just Louis. You and I share a life, so we may say whatever we need to when we have to."

Louis' smile broadens and he wishes he could kiss Harry again but they've wasted enough time standing in a head-to-tail manner with their horses. 

"I love you." 

"Despite my troubling arrogance?" Harry lightly challenges. "I love you too, my only."

"Of course." Louis shakes his head in laughter. "I mated you for more than that."

After crossing the thickest of the forest without any further interruptions, they arrive at the open field of dry grass. It was bound to house some form of threat, so Louis threw a pebble into the air.   
From the ground a flock of red birds took to the skies, fleeing from their disturbance. 

"Coming?" Harry calls over his shoulder to Louis. 

Louis doesn't answer. Tall, dry grass was never good. 

"Lou?"

"I thought they created a detour around this place." Louis sounds half in awe, half whispering in hesitation. 

"Why would they?"

"Remember that story about the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs?" Louis keeps his eyes locked with a growing image in the distance. 

Harry nods. 

Just as Louis opens his mouth to answer again, a deafening roar travels with the air. Then he adds sheepishly, "It didn't affect our side of the planet."

Harry's shoulders slump and his teeth are bared, almost in a snarl. There were bigger creaters here, _much_ bigger creatures with dagger claws and serrated teeth. 

"There used to be a path." Louis jumps off Sirius with Ares to examine the ground. "It would take us around without having to deal with this. I guess the grass covered it up."

"We can still go through. I can do that." Harry bites his bottom lip, thinking about how exactly he'll do that. 

"There's no time for extravagance." Louis mounts Sirius, rolling against the stiff saddle to get rid of the irritation in his legs. "We have to move."

"It's dangerous. I don't have to have been living here to know that."

"It's almost nightfall." Louis looks up to the skies and indeed, it was darkening to an extent. "The Lycan castle is across this field."

This is news, unpleasant news, to Harry's ears. "What?"

"If we can get there before it's too late we'll spend a few hours resting before leaving."

Harry agrees only because Louis looks like he could use some sleep, but spending those hours at the home of Lycans did dampen the glee. He hated Lycans since they were the only creatures to ever kill a demon, even though it was just one, Hell has never lost one of its children to a mortal death. Harry and his colleagues were taught to despise Lycans, but he would have anyway. 

"In other cases it's good to stick to the forest's edge but that's where the big ones are, they're hiding so the carnivores don't see them." Louis explains basic hunting technics of the T-Rex but not the Spinosaurus, those were too proud to duck. 

Harry goes first, but kept Louis in his sight as they moved right down the middle. It was nothing short of amateur for someone trained as Louis was and as experienced as Harry, but they had a long journey ahead still and that's gotten to their heads. 

Nothing pounced and Harry got to see what he's seen in human museums. Varieties of grass-eaters were roaming about grazing and moving out of the way when these two got to them. Harry got to wondering where the roar from earlier came from, but then it rung out again. It was altered, and this beast sounded bigger. 

"We need to go." Louis urged Sirius forward and snapped Harry out of his trance. "Now, Harry!"

Harry heard the desperation in his mate's voice and came back, nodding at Louis before starting off towards the trees. They get close enough to the weeping willow that marks the beginning of Lycan territory - Harry can practically see the yellow eyes peering at them with growls - when something bursts out of the trees to their left. 

Louis sees it first but there wasn't enough time for him to avoid the Spinosaurus. The predator seems to miss them in his line of vision, going for a better choice of meals across the field. Except, Louis' cloak gets snagged on the beast's scale and Sirius gets yanked backwards with force. 

"Louis, your cloak!" Harry uses a voice higher than any to get his mate to listen.

Seeing a formidable future if he doesn't do something, Harry grabs Louis' arm and hauls him out of the horse's saddle with a sudden boost of inhuman strength. The cloak rips but not before Sirius is flung against a boulder, breaking his leg. 

"Sirius!" Louis jumps down to sprint through overgrown weeds. 

Slightly annoyed by Louis' lack of fear, Harry decides to follow. Louis could have _died_ and he's more concerned about a _fucking horse_. They are in the full throttle of night, and Harry is getting more anxious as the darkness wears on. 

"Louis." Harry looks at everything at once, making sure nothing's left to surprise them. "Leave him."

"No." Louis is forgetting that they are where they are and sits on the ground by a quivering stallion in agony. "No, I won't."

"It's late-"

"And he's hurt!" 

Harry's grateful that they're behind a giant rock that nothing can see through. He crouches down after leaving Dexter and takes Louis' hand. "Come here."

Louis shakes his head but doesn't put up a fight when Harry makes him stand, pulling him into a hug under Harry's cloak. 

"Help him." Louis pleads, unable to listen to any more pained cries from the injured horse. "Please."

"You know I can't." Harry sighs. "I'm sorry, baby."

Ares seems to have disappeared but Harry isn't worried because no marks have shown on Louis' skin to indicate any injuries on the dragon. Two minutes later, Louis' back to comforting Sirius with a drip from his bag. It's meant for him but so the dosage for a horse means the entire vile. 

This time, Harry smells them before seeing them. He growls and melts into his true form, picking Louis up to protect him. 

"Harry?" Louis' arms are squashed between them and he gazes up confusedly at his Alpha. 

A low rumbling ripples out from the tip of the boulder, and Harry curls himself around Louis to hide him. The lycan is standing on two feet glaring down at Harry, shorter than Harry but bigger built. He's black as night and has razor sharp teeth along his jaw. 

"Louis?" The lycan's wolf floats away as he becomes human with grey slitted eyes. 

"Cyril?" Louis has to stand on his toes to peek over Harry's shoulders. "Cyril!"

Cyril? Harry has no choice but to let Louis go when the Omega wiggles free of him and hugs this attractive stranger. Harry's inner Alpha is losing control to red anger and hatred in the form of steam. Cyril notices, Alpha to Alpha, but doesn't pay attention beyond the recognition. 

"We'll help him, Lou." Cyril assures after Louis races their story. "And you are staying the night."

Harry plans to object but Louis is faster. "Thank you so much."

Another hug, and Harry feels his blood boil enough for his fists to curl and be glad he showed his true form. 

He brings his fists to Louis' front, encircling his waist possessively and kissing his mating bite. Alphas prided themselves in mating and the significant bite, everyone respected that. Harry's blood comes down to a simmer when Louis doesn't shrug him off, instead putting his hand on Harry's still talking to _the fucking lycan._

"You can have your old room. No one's touched it since you left." Cyril doesn't miss Harry's acts of protectiveness, but doesn't have a care for them. 

Harry finds himself frowning deeply at yet another revelation. When did Louis last visit these creatures? And what for? He means to find out before they go to sleep. Forgetting to simmer, Harry's blood rises on levels of the thermometer again. 

Cyril is well above six feet with black hair that's shorter than Harry's, deadly pale skin and muscles that bulged against any shirt. He looked almost perfect with a strong jaw and the ideal facial structure, but Harry fails to see that Louis only ever looks at _him_ with heart eyes. Cyril and he were friends for years, and were labelled brothers before anything else. 

The castle was massive, to say the least. Harry gives credit where it is due, and this place reminds him of one in Hell that's a lot more vandalised but that doesn't matter. The exterior walls are solid brick in a nude colour, with red doors as the entry. 

Harry sticks to Louis like a vine while they move, having left Sirius with Cyril's lycan friends to be tended to. Ares seemed to like Cyril, and never before did Harry think he'd be envious of that. 

Inside feels like the motion picture of the century, some timeless classic TCM would show about a family with abundance of wealth. 

"Take your Alpha and go upstairs." Cyril fights the oncoming smirk. "Rest before dinner."

"We're only staying four hours." Louis replies. "The journey's-"

"Been too long." Cyril finishes for him. "Go rest and don't you dare come back down until you're fully rested."

Louis sighs but grins anyway at the hospitality of his friend. "Okay. Dinner time it is."

Cyril sends them off and Louis leads Harry up the central staircase to where bedrooms line the hallway. Harry's brimming with investigative questions and hinted irritation. He didn't like that Louis was so familiar with another Alpha - Liam didn't count and Alfred didn't matter.   
Louis' room turns out to be the one with a light green door and opens since it was unlocked. 

"I don't like him." Harry says once they're inside, fully aware that lycans can hear through doors. 

Louis' room has a queen mattress that looks like it could swallow him up, plain wallpaper and a closet. There are two cupboards on the far side of the room beside a window. Harry _hated_ that this room matched Louis' tastes and that Cyril had a room for him in a house that wasn't his. 

"Why not?" Louis strips down with his back to Harry, eager for a shower and good rest. 

Harry's caught staring at the exquisite body of his flawless mate when Louis looks over his shoulder. 

"The way he looks at you." Harry drops his true form so he can brush Louis' hip with human fingers. "It's disturbing to me."

"He looks at me as Niall or Swift does."

"You don't see what I see." Harry squeezes Louis' waist as he engulfs him in an embrace from behind. 

"And what is that?"

Harry moves his lips to Louis' ear, nudging the Omega's head to the side. "Desire."

Louis gasps softly before smiling. "You're seeing incorrectly."

"I am not." Harry petulantly restates. "He wants you the way I have you. He desires what is _mine._ "

"Your theory is based off a look?" Louis removes Harry's hands from his thighs. "I'm not sacrificing my friendship with him because of a theory, Hazza. He will respect you and you will do the same. No arguments."

Harry groans into Louis' neck. "I will never respect a lycan. They are foul creatures with a disregard for-"

"Stop." Louis covers Harry's mouth with his small hand. "No bad mouthing my family."

Harry refrains from adding that he actually had reason to hate on lycans, and simply nuzzles Louis' neck again because that's where he felt at peace. 

"I smell awful." Louis scrunches up his nose as he combs through Harry's hair. "I'm going to shower."

"Joined by me." Harry adds smugly, taking Louis' hand and picking him off the ground to be carried. 

They end up doing more than just showering, since Louis gave in when Harry started trailing kisses down his body. It was obscene to be doing this in another person's shower - almost - but Harry had growled and pinned Louis to the wall. Harry made hundreds of red angry marks along Louis' skin for all to admire, kissing each one as he held Louis up by his thighs.   
Louis' nails scratched Harry's human skin to leave uncomfortable red lines as the demon pounded into him. It was supposed to be slow and gentle, let Harry take his time in marking Louis' soul and body as his again. Louis had whined especially for his Alpha and Harry could no longer monitor his pace. 

The tiles were smooth but burned Louis' skin as his back rubbed against it. Harry bent his leg at the knee and hoisted it over his shoulder but kept Louis' other leg wrapped around his waist. It was a difficult angle but Harry made it work for them. Louis kept their lips plastered together, but when Harry let his true form show there were no lips to kiss on his Alpha. Harry's always appreciated Louis' efforts but couldn't let his precious boy get hurt because of him. 

With the tiny strain exerted on their bond, and the pressure of great expectations weighing down on them Harry makes it his duty to ruin Louis' higher intelligence. He wanted them in this moment only. A mated couple usually did require rebonding of sorts, and it always meant physical contact through the replenishment. 

"I love you. I love you so much." Harry gushes, cupping the side of Louis' face and snapping his hips harder, rendering Louis' first orgasm complete. 

"So soft." Harry tightens his hand around Louis' hip and flashes in and out of his human form. 

"So sweet." He nips at Louis' throat, pulling his hair back and biting hard enough for it to bruise as he slammed into Louis' hips to make the boy cry out. 

"Mine." Harry picked Louis' other leg up and effectively bent him in half. 

Louis made little noises, choking on pleasure and wanting to scream until his lungs hurt because his Alpha was making him feel so good. Harry caressed Louis' smooth skin, growling and moving faster. Louis mewled and tugged on Harry's hair - locks now cold from the shower losing its heat - to get a reaction. 

Throwing his head back, Louis grinded down on Harry and clutched warmly around. His jaw went slack and Harry started drawing blood with his love-bites, thoughts of impediments and the obnoxious Cyril fogging his brain. Harry needed to mark, to claim. Louis felt nothing as they contributed to his second release, and he took Harry's double penetration without a word. 

"So perfect." Harry kisses Louis' lips and cheek. 

Louis blushes, still looking radiant with the personal mini bites all over his skin. "Harry?" 

"Yes?" Harry bumps their noses together so all the space between them is eliminated.

"My legs hurt." 

Harry chuckles and drops Louis' legs back to his waist. "Better now?"

Louis nods and hides in Harry's neck where it's warm and he can hopefully not fall asleep after the energy his body has lost moments ago. He had no excuses, but he definitely didn't regret a thing. 

He did fall asleep. Harry carried a clean Louis to bed and laid him down on his chest for safety. Harry needed to protect his Omega through thick and thin.   
The demon stayed up admiring Louis' mating tattoo on the side of his face, comforted by the fact that all was able to see who he belonged to. Harry frowned at how Louis' body was scattered with red bites and marks, contrasting the pale beauty of his skin rather plainly. Most had stopped bleeding and healed over to reveal scars. 

Ares flew in through the window just as Harry covered Louis with a warm comforter, holding Louis' hips as a support mechanism because the Omega shifted a lot during his sleep.   
The dragon takes the scene in before clambering onto the bed and pushing Harry's arm - more like gently nudging - away so he can lie next to Louis.


	23. Chapter 23

**_[A/N: Song for this chapter is Autumn Leaves by Chris Brown ft Kendrick Lamar - you can ignore Kendrick lol - S xx]_ **

_Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Louis had gone with Cyril to his study, apparently where the two old friends used to have private conversations for hours. Harry wasn't pleased, not even close, but his Omega asked with his piercing cerulean eyes of innocent intent, and he really couldn't deny him. Harry occupied himself in the weaponry with Ares in the meanwhile.

"You look....-" Cyril started and fumbled for an appropriate adjective. "-different."

Louis was curled up in a large cushioned armchair by the fire, cupping the warmth of a tea mug as he smiled. "You sound hesitant."

"It's not a _good_ different from what I can see." Cyril studies the boy's exquisite features as the fire lit him up from the inside. 

"What is it that you see?" Louis smirked against his mug. 

Cyril put his head on interlocked fingers and leaned closer, dark eyes ablaze with thought. "In you?"

"In me."

"Strain." Cyril states and sits back, his arms splayed out. "And it scares me."

Louis looks down, shot down by the truth in Cyril's words and stares at his hands. 

"I'm scared for you, Lou." Cyril restates. 

"Please don't be." Louis pleads. "It's not your business anymore."

"Anymore?" Cyril's voice rises in octaves. "Louis, you were-"

"Stop." Louis glares at him, the fire now present in his eyes. "You have no right."

"He is toxic to you!" Cyril bellows, voice resonating throughout the only soundproof room in the mansion. "He is draining your energy and your heart, I can _feel_ that you are left with nothing."

"You don't know him." Louis defends. "That's what everyone thinks and not everything is easy, Cyril!"

"Bullshit, Louis. Love is easy and timeless. Love is _not_ selfish and cruel."

"He loves me and I love him unconditionally. We're mates and-"

"He is the direct son of _Satan_ , Louis. He loves no one."

"Demons wait centuries, millennia to meet their mates."

"But not Possessors." Cyril gets up and stalks toward the window. "Possessors aren't meant to mate outside their kind."

"I know-"

"He lied to you, didn't he?" Cyril turns his back to the view and regards Louis with desperate feelings. 

"It doesn't concern you."

"He lied to you and what about when he feeds? He needs to do that often and afterwards when he needs his mate to get him down from his high, what will you do then?" With each accusing word Cyril steps forward. "Will you let him use you, Lou? Will you let him punish you for nothing until you shatter inside and have nothing left to give?"

Besides the room being soundproof, Louis has to fight to control his emotions and thoughts lest they reach Harry outside through their bond. 

"You've changed." Louis whispers, his face inches away from the heartbreaking expression on Cyril's face. 

"Everybody changes, love. Even you. Where is my Louis?"

"He's happy." Louis ignores the harsh tone of Cyril's bark and gives him a small smile. "I want you to be happy too, Cyril. You are my best friend."

The words stab Cyril's heart but he can't do anything but accept it. He kneels by Louis and brings the boy's smaller hand up to his cheek, leaning into the soft touch. 

"I can't comfort you anymore." Louis kisses Cyril's forehead. "I can't be for you what I was before."

"I know." Cyril releases Louis' hand and sighs. "It will pain me forever, _mon petit amour._ "

"You can't call me that anymore." Louis finishes his cold tea and sets the cup down on the small coffee table. 

"I don't like seeing his mark on you." 

With a roll of his eyes, Louis looks at him. "I am proud to bear the mark of my Alpha."

"It is irremovable." Cyril states, eyeing the tattoo on the side of Louis' face and neat bite on his neck. 

"Yes."

"I am sorry." Cyril helps Louis stand, draping the thin woollen blanket over his shoulders. 

"What for?" 

"I waited too long." Cyril takes off the string holding the front of his shirt off to tie together the two ends of Louis' blanket. 

"We've shared cribs and had the same training from Alfred." Louis isn't affected by the extra skin, only having eyes for his absent Alpha. "We are-"

"Don't say it."

"Cyril-" 

The larger man's expression is pained, a severe look of hurt dimming his eyes and draining his glow. " _Mon petit amour,_ please don't."

Louis resigns with a shallow breath and nods once. 

"Why are you in these parts, Louis?" Cyril asks. "I thought for sure the moment you left last winter, I'd never see you again."

Louis fingers the threads of the blanket drowning him with its size and warmth. "Trouble."

"What trouble?"

"The Dark Forest saw Harry-"

"Fuck! I should have known." Cyril hisses and rakes his fingers through raven hair. "How long ago did they come?"

"Day before yesterday. I'm going East to the warrior tribes."

"I would too. You have an even longer journey ahead, why don't you fly? Use Ares."

"He is a warrior, not a mule."

"What about cars? You can have ours."

"The mountain ranges."

Cyril pinches the bridge of his nose and thinks. "We have birds. Use them."

"How many do you have? I don't want to borrow them if you only have a few."

"My cousin breeds _Griffith Dragons._ If you ride them, it would take no less than a day to get to the warrior clan."

"I'd appreciate that." Louis smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling like they would when Cyril recited a joke he'd spent an entire morning memorising when they were so much younger. 

"It would be my pleasure." 

Louis looks away when the intensity of Cyril's stare burns him. "We must get going."

"Of course." Cyril unlocks the door from the inside and leads Louis outside. "After you, Lou."

The air is crisp and clean, whirling around Louis as it tries to get under the protective blanket layer. There's a hint of all things raw and earthbound: dirt, hot metal and the stench of blood. These were warrior lands so there was always blood. 

Louis was left guarded by the men standing on the mansion's balcony as Cyril left him - but not without kissing Louis' cheek sweetly - to find his kin.   
Louis inhaled and sent several vibes to Harry through their bond, asking to be found and kept company by him. Harry was admiring the miniature blades attached to the tip of an arrow when he received the wordless message and took off immediately. 

"Any longer and I'd have broken down the door." Harry approaches Louis from the side of the house, strides large and eager. 

Louis brightened up at the sight of his mate and immediately gave up supporting the quilt to jump into the demon's arms. Harry chuckled and held onto Louis for dear life, gripping the boy's thighs and kissing him everywhere.   
Cyril got back with Matthew, his first cousin, and had to stop before stepping out into the meadow. He saw the filthy creature, tainted with horror and the foul remnants of death, supporting Louis in his arms and almost turned around completely. 

The demon would never know Louis like Cyril did. He knew Louis as the boy who picked flowers with their maid and weaved it into Cyril's hair while he slept. His Louis started food fights in the elegant dining hall and ran around in the mud until Cyril had to carry him in so they wouldn't muck up the floors.   
Cyril was already seven when Louis was born, and the Lycan had been present when the boy came into the world. 

"Come on, cousin." Matthew clasped Cyril's shoulder and nudged him on. 

Cyril growled and shoved him off before walking proudly onto the field. Louis was giggling about something the demon said, and hid in his neck as Harry whispered lowly. 

"This is Matthew." Cyril raised his chin and contained his rage when his voice didn't separate the couple even though they noticed him. "He trains the dragons."

"Hi, Matthew." Louis greeted. 

"Lovely to see you again, Louis." Matthew waved at the lovely Omega who smiled back and jumped down to the ground. 

"Likewise." He didn't step away from Harry and Cyril almost scoffed out loud. 

"Let's go to the dragon den." Matthew started says. 

The dragons were the friendliest kind to ever exist. They chose their riders as soon as Harry and Louis stepped into the den. The one that approached Harry had the brightest wings with vibrant colours and a gentle nature, but snapped at Louis when the Omega spoke.   
Harry hated to see the shock and fear flash across Louis' face, and dug his nails into the dragon's armour until it burned and the creature whined as it bowed. 

Cyril stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree trunk and watching from where the shadows hid him. He drummed his fingers on his bicep to rid himself of some nervous energy but the supply kept reimbursing itself. 

"Sirius and Dexter will stay with us until you come by this way again, okay?" Matthew spoke formally. 

"Thank you so much." Louis clipped his cloak on but kept the hood down. 

"No problem." 

When Louis tried mounting the Griffith Dragon, Ares realised what was happening and inflated to an intimidating size. He growled at the smaller dragon and the front of his chest was turning bright orange from developing flames. 

"Ares does not want you riding another dragon." Cyril suddenly spoke. "He feels he is more worthy."

Louis of course already knew this, and turned away from the deeper meaning behind Cyril's words to calm his daemon and assure him that nobody will replace him. Louis' wish of not exerting Ares goes ignored when the mightier dragon nudges him onto his back and shoves the Griffith aside. 

Harry straps the thin saddle onto his Griffith's back, and settles down on it between the creature's wings. He frowns as he watches Louis keep Ares from breaking the dragon's neck. 

Ares looks over Louis' shoulder and bares his razor teeth, a loud rumbling coming from his throat when the Griffith gets closer. Louis would grab Ares' jaw - not concerned about hurting himself - and yank him back down to attention. 

_"Quoniam tu solus draco, Ares." Louis pressed his forehead to the impenetrable scales between Ares' eyes. "Ipse autem non solum; paenitet me errasse."_ (You are my only dragon, Ares. The only one. I'm sorry, it was a mistake.)

Ares seems to feel better and the only attack he makes after that is huff out a heavy breath. 

"What makes someone worthy?" Cyril is standing beside Harry and watching the same show as the demon. 

Harry has an ardent hatred for this man and his other form, so he says nothing and stands his dragon up. 

"Take care of him." Cyril clicks his tongue. "He's _delicate._ "

Harry's vision goes red and his anger that's been harboured for so long lights up internally. He let's his true form flare and jumps down. 

"How dare you say that to me?" He is seething, fists clenched at the audacity of this man. 

Cyril doesn't flinch. "Truth's truth, demon."

Harry is mad about this Lycan speaking of Louis in such a respect. How disrespectful can he be to tell the Omega's Alpha about the body of his mate? 

Louis - having not heard a single bit of the exchange - rolled his eyes, and climbed onto Ares' back with the soft material of his cloak fanning out on Ares' back. 

"What is going on?" He trots over to the pair when he notices Harry's true form and steps between them. 

"Nothing." Cyril smirks. "Just chatting."

Louis blanches and Harry clutches his hip, hauling him into the demon's personal space to fulfil a promise made the day prior. Harry covers Louis' parting lips with his own, cupping both sides of the boy's face and flashing to his human form so it's not painful. Louis goes with it, as a favour to his Alpha and holds Harry's waist until he's released.   
It was an effective way to shut Cyril up, because at the end of the day Harry still had what - who - Cyril wanted.

"What was that?" Louis tended to shut out the world when they kissed like that. "Was I extra good?"

Harry smiles and twists his gifted ring to give himself the familiar black suit. "You were excellent, my love." 

Just for extra finesse to scorn at the envious Cyril - and because Harry absolutely adored every minute feature of his beautiful mate - Harry squeezes Louis' behind with a possessive hand, making the boy squirm. He bends to kiss the bite mark on Louis' neck before taking Louis towards the awaiting dragons. Just like that, Harry was no longer angry. 

"I have new respect for Ares." Harry says from beside Louis, saddled up on his creature once again. 

"He's learning from you." Louis does the childish act of sticking the tip of his tongue out at Harry. 

"I have taught him well. Shall we go, love?"

Louis nods and looks at the rising sun over the tallest mountain range in their parts. Behind him was the land of the dinosaurs and ahead was just more danger.   
Harry's giant flies off first into the clouds. Ares moves next, shifting his gigantic wings with fervour and attempting to take to the air. He is stopped by Cyril. 

"Take care, _mon petit amour._ " Cyril pats Louis' leg as Matthew shakes his head in the background. 

Harry's ears prick as the emotion flows through his bond with Louis and he abandons the dragon completely to get back down. When the Griffith turns towards the mountains, Harry's snarl echoes through the canyon and he changes to his true form. 

"Get away from him!" Harry lands with vibrations through the earth and grabbed Cyril's wrist to fling him into the air without thought. 

"Harry!" Louis panics and gets down from Ares when Cyril lands on his feet meters from them. 

Harry was boiling with hatred, livid with a hot temperature and the desire to murder the man who had eyes for his mate. _His_ mate. Cyril's jaw shifted then his arms and torso. He became a beast that stood taller than Harry with pointed teeth and claws. 

When Cyril's jaw snapped shut and he lunged at Harry, the demon pushed Louis back before flickering into his Possessor form and aiming for Cyril's throat. Neither Alpha was clear in mind and Louis felt annoyed, hurt and conflicted. 

"Matthew!" Louis searched the grounds but the other Lycans were not to be seen.   
He was partially not surprised considering no other person got between two Alphas during a fight. 

Cyril could win, but he was alone and that wouldn't help him. Harry pinned the wolf down and extended the talons of his right hand. 

"No, Harry!" Louis wanted to get between them, he really did, but the order from his Alpha shouting at him through their elasticated bond never gave up. 

Ares did nothing and stabbed a claw into the ground, attached to his wing where it would keep Louis away from the brawl. 

Harry was flung against a tree and when Cyril headed for him again, he moved with inhuman speed. The collision brought the whole tree down at Louis' feet and he feared for Harry's safety before thinking of Cyril. Both were alright, it turned out, when they rose from under broken branches and dust. 

"Cyril!" Louis begged. "Stop this, please!"

His oldest friend ignored him and snarled at Harry who made the ravines of fire burn brighter in his body. 

"Alpha!" Louis screeched, just to have his voice crack at the end. 

Both men paused but that seemed to anger Harry more, after witnessing another man stop when Louis was clearly only calling out to _him._

There was the need at the forefront of Harry's mind, to go to his Omega and ensure his health. That made him a good Alpha, not constantly fighting with every person who winked at Louis. He dismissed Cyril and sprinted over to Louis, pulling him out from behind Ares. 

Cyril spat at the ground and transformed back to his human state, nude and uncaring. 

"Are you okay?" Harry checks Louis' body for anything out of place. 

"I'm okay." Louis secures both sides of Harry's face. "Don't scare me like that again."

Harry picks Louis off the ground and Cyril observes distastefully as Louis wrapped himself around the demon despite his lesser true form. 

"He deserved it." Harry growls. "He deserves more."

"Shh. No." Louis kisses Harry's cheek and nose. "No more fighting please? I don't like it."

"I won't-"

"I love _you._ I've given you everything and everytime you run off to battle an Alpha it makes me insecure." Louis laces their fingers together. "Stay with me from now on, okay?"

Harry nods and gets another kiss on the lips this time. "For you."

"Thank you."

Harry doesn't let Louis see Cyril and mounts the boy on Ares' back without a word. They needed to get out of here. This time, he waits for Louis to be in the air before pushing on. 

"When's our next stop?" Harry has to shout to be heard, making his Griffith dive and soar right beside Ares. 

"When this journey's over. We've wasted enough time." Louis tells him, slightly blinded by the harsh sun's rays. 

He holds Ares' armour and settles into the black leather saddle, in awe of the land and rivers flying by him. Ares flies fluently and his wings span out larger than the Griffith's. 

"There!" Louis points to a trench of dark grey and some black. "That's where the tallest mountain peaks."

Harry glances down and grins. "Have you been on land there?"

"Just once. The mountain giants aren't very friendly."

**_[A/N: I'm leaving Cyril up to your imaginations bc he's like O.o beautiful and I can't go choose a person to portray him. He's pale though and I think of Jean Claude from the Anita Blake series - you can Google him - when I picture him.]_ **


	24. Chapter 24

_Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires._

***LOUIS' POV***

It took us a few hours of non-stop travel due East to arrive at our destination. I'd fallen asleep and the roar of an unknown dragon awoke me in time to find us surrounded in the air. The clan we were visiting are warriors, and so protected their lands - and skies - with their lives. 

"This isn't your land." One of the unidentified generals spoke. 

"We're here to ask for help." I answered, watching Harry watch our advancers with precise speculation. 

"Who are you?" 

I was glad they asked this question, it's been a code long in existence. "Friend, not foe."

That seems to ease the general's nerves and he nods tersely before diving to the ground. We all follow, landing on a grass strip amidst buildings for housing. 

We hadn't come in on foot so we didn't pass through the impenetrable gates that were allocated along the sky high walls. No army has ever infiltrated this clan and that's why I paid careful attention to befriending many of these people. I knew we'd need their help one day. 

People scatter, staring and murmuring amongst themselves when Ares lands. Some try to touch him after I've dismounted but he snaps at them and shrinks to a size that will perch on my shoulder. They admire such a creature since they do not breed dragons. 

Harry takes my cloak off for me, leaning closer than necessary to kiss my temple and assert his presence here. I accept his hand when he links our fingers together. The people here already know about us, about him. The bond mark on our faces dictated Harry's species and our bond. 

"Who are you here to see?" Raul, the general who stopped us from landing on our own, asks me. 

"Is Eren still around?" I respond. 

"He is but this winter will.....be his last." A strange sadness sets into the atmosphere. 

"I want to see him."

Raul nods and parts a way through the spectators. We weave through inquisitive bodies for about ten minutes before coming to an aged justice building. The front steps seemed to go on forever but this is where the people kept their most valuable belongings and only a few knew how to get in without being caught in an endless spiral. 

"This way." Raul beckons us to the almost hidden side stepping stones. 

I was last here nearly three years ago and Raul was just entering his training then. He is younger than me with more height and a deathly glare if you happen to land on his bad side. He got promoted to general through brutality. 

"Are you alright?" I turn to ask Harry, who hasn't said a word since we touched ground. 

"I'm fine." He squeezes my hand and smiles. 

"You're too sober. What's going on in your mind?"

He smirks and urges me onward. "After tonight, we will have four days left."

"Yes. I know." I sigh tiredly. "I'll admit it's a discomforting thought."

When Raul turns the bend of a short corridor, expecting us to follow suit, Harry takes the opportunity to halt. He presses my back against a wall, his hand splayed out on my lower back and the other cupping the side of my face. 

"Let's leave." He deadpans. "Leave all of this."

"You want to run away?" I wrap my fingers around his wrist, gazing disbelievingly up at him. 

"Yes."

"Harry." I scoff. " _Leave?_ We can't leave, Harry. We made this journey so we could help."

"My darling." He presses our foreheads together. "My first priority is to protect you and after a while of thinking, I can't see a favourable outcome."

I frown, hurt that he would doubt us so much. "You think this is futile? You saw how much we're trying to help my people."

"They don't act as your people, love. They are only looking out for themselves and with all the grief you put yourself through for them, all they'll do is turn their back on you after they win."

"Not everyone is like that, Harry."

"I didn't see anyone stand up for you when it counted."

I bite my lip until it hurts unimaginably, wincing from the affliction. "You say we let them perish?"

"I'm saying our enemies are too prepared. Whether we fight them with these people behind us, the chances of a victory are slim."

"You speak up now?!" I push him away, angered by all that he's kept secret. "How can you let us think we're okay and suddenly have some kind of epiphany like this?"

"Louis, listen-"

"You've been through something like this. I haven't. I needed you to be honest with me."

"I am honest with you. I told you what I thought I minute it came to me."

I shake my head and look away down at the passage where Raul strode off, taking a deep breath. "Do you really feel this is pointless?"

"Yes."

"You'd rather leave them to die before trying to help."

"I tried to help. They chose to spear me and break your arm."

I flinch at the memory and Harry takes the momentary lapse as a chance to draw me into his embrace where I settle again. 

I really couldn't disobey him but here, he wasn't asking for obedience. Helping my people would be a privilege, except a loud part of me felt as though they weren't my people anymore. This battle was our cause but their decision. There's nothing we can do to stop it and I know Harry will never set foot on that field the day it starts. 

"I'm not running away." I whisper against his bicep. "We'll speak to Eren and if he agrees to send armies out then so be it."

"And if he disagrees we do nothing."

"Yes."

"We can never go back." Harry kisses my hair. "Whether they win or fail, they don't ever want to see us."

"Niall and Liam." I exhale slowly. "They're smart enough to leave too. After this war, that place won't be home to anyone."

"I'm sorry." Harry took my hands and kissed each fingertip, like he always would even when we resided in the mortal world. 

I smiled up at him. "I'm not upset."

"But?"

"I feel as though I'm letting someone down."

"Who?"

"I don't know yet."

"Come." Harry pulled away but kept my hand laced with his. "I'm starting to lose Raul's scent."

The general hadn't waited for us but he stood patiently outside the pair of door with fire lamps on either side. He held one open and gestured for us to enter, though he stayed outside with Ares. 

Inside was warm and cosy. It's a home away from home to me and I missed this place. 

"Is this where your Eren friend is?" Harry asked, standing behind me after the door shut. 

"There's no need to whisper." Came a loud, deep-voiced answer that made me giggle. 

Eren lay in his bed, long grey hair fanned out around him and sheets drawn up to his chest. He sat up slightly, age getting in his way, and smiled at me. 

"Lou." He extended his hand the way we would greet each other ages ago. 

Harry was tense and held my waist tightly, enough to stop any attempts at moving away. 

"It's okay, demon." Eren, my grandfather for all pretences, chuckles. "There is no one safer for your mate to be with."

Harry let me go far enough to climb onto Eren's bed and cross my legs under me as I sat beside him. He patted my knee and there was a light breeze before Harry was standing behind me again, arms around me. I still felt comfortable in his embrace and relaxed against him when keeping my back upright began to hurt. 

"I haven't seen you in three years, my boy." Eren takes my hand in his wrinkled, freckled one. 

"I'm sorry about not visiting often." I say. "It's been a difficult couple of years."

"Really? Well you know how much I love gossip."

I laugh and turn to nudge Harry's arm. "This is Harry. He's my mate."

"Ah! You got yourself a demon, I see." Eren raises his silver eyebrows at our interaction. "An old one too."

Harry growls defensively and I reassure him with a peck to his jaw. "Don't antagonise him, Eren."

"Alright, I take it back." The old man squeezes my smaller hand. "Why are you here, son?"

I sigh and glance at Harry's impassive expression before receiving an encouraging nod. "We need your help."

"Louis, does it look like I am able to help myself even?"

"No, I....-" I look down at my hands, feeling the bed sink behind me as Harry sits. "Harry is a Possessor."

Eren doesn't react as others have, instead he makes a grunting noise. "That's why you stink."

Harry is caught off guard by the insult and makes to stand up but this is no time for a quarrel. I ask silently that he sit down again and he only obeys before holding me in his lap. 

"Bassilies knows he's here and they've declared war on the Zohrai for seven days from now." I explain hurriedly. 

"And you've come to me for my armies?"

"Yes." I plead. 

"You walked into this room knowing what I'd say." Eren shifts his gaze and raises his voice. "Didn't you, Harry?"

Harry doesn't flinch from the sudden change of directed attention. "I believe so."

"What do you think I'm going to say?"

"No." Harry lifts his head from my shoulder. "You're going to turn us away."

"And why is that?"

"Because it's our fight and allies or not, one has to fight their own wars."

"Very good." Eren nods then glances at me. "Are you hurt by my answer, Louis?"

"No." I shake my head. "I can admit that one out of the two days we spent getting here, I knew you would reject us."

"I am not rejecting you, dear Louis. I am rejecting all those bastards who never came to our aid and treated us as invalids in our time of need." Eren states. "I don't wish bad on anyone but we all know Bassilies has been more prepared for this war than we could have ever been."

That, I did know. Deep down I knew that. "I'm sorry we came for nothing."

"Oh shoosh it. It's been three years since I last saw you and if these circumstances were the only ones where we could be reunited then I'm no less grateful."

I grin at his enthusiasm and thank him with a small smile for not lying about the truth of the matter. 

"Now, word of this will not leave my chambers. Understood?" 

I nod and Harry nods, giving our consent. 

"Tonight is the Festival of Luna. I know you want to stay for that, Louis." Eren informs me with a strange glint in his eye. 

"I do!" I gasp. 

"Then ask Raul for chambers right next to mine and I'll have food sent to your room. Go now, you interrupted my nap." He cracks my middle finger's knuckle as a send-off. 

"Sleep well." I kiss his forehead as his papery eyelids slide closed. 

Raul hears what we have to say and guides us to an empty loft closest to Eren's room. He promises to send up fresh clothing and food before leaving. 

When the door locks in place I feel like it's a note of finality. Like even though I started this journey with good intentions, I couldn't help but allow that strength to slide off into an abyss. I've lost the drive I once had to protect those who I thought wanted me to be happy. 

"We have to send word to Alfred." I tell Harry, crawling up the length of his body to sit astride his hips. "So he knows we've given up."

"We did not give up." Harry lays down on the pillows. "We exhausted all our options."

"Nobody wants to help and I feel like I'm not trying enough."

"You're simply conflicted, lovely. You want to help but you also feel they don't deserve it."

I chew my upper lip and nod slowly. "I guess."

"So give up your guilt, if anything. Remember the Zohrai are the richest species around, yes? They've isolated themselves and I'm certain you were the only one making friends. Don't bother with them anymore."

"It's just......hard. I mean, it's a long time to disregard now."

"They had it coming, sweetheart." He sits up to kiss my cheek and allow me to hide in his neck. 

"Do we just let them die now?"

"We let them fend for themselves and if they fall then the fault is not ours." It was an almost selfish thing for Harry to say, except he was a demon and couldn't see the flaw. 

I settle against his chest and inhale the calming scent that came with him, closing my eyes as his arms roped around my middle. There was a certain beauty in Harry, amongst the black evil and supposed darkness. It was what made him my mate and companion forever. I just couldn't put my finger on it. 

"You don't stink." I comment, earning a light slap to my behind that makes me squirm. "Meanie! I said you didn't stink."

"Do I need a reason to do this then?" He rolls us over, smothering my flow of giggles with kisses and digging his finger buds into the skin under the back of my suit. 

"Harry!" I squirmed and tried to get free of his hold. "Someone's going to come in here and find us."

"You forget that we were bonded for a short while." He pins me to the mattress, holding my hands above my head and pressing wet kisses down my neck. 

"A-And?" I shudder when he sucks a deep red bruise into my neck before blowing cool air onto it. 

"I still crave your body, little one." He spreads my legs to settle between them; his face stays buried in my neck. "I still want every moment spent being buried so deep inside you that neither of us can think of anything else."

My skin turns to a flushed pink at his words, sharp moans leaving my mouth as I lift my hips and offer myself to him. I manage to twist the ring on my middle finger and allow the black suit of mine to disappear from my body, folding away in little blocks. 

Harry starts a trail down my body, kissing as much skin as he can. He releases my hands and changes to his true form. A knock on the door interrupts him from bending my knees and parting them in a good distance. 

"Leave it outside." He snaps at whoever stood outside, dropping his face to between my thighs. 

I arch my back, panting and groaning as his tongue flicks around my entrance. A tray falls somewhere outside and Harry's nails press into my skin, demanding my full attention again. 

Using the slim, odd shape of his tongue he pokes at my fluttering muscle that's growing moist. I mewl when he starts to lick at what leaks out, wetting his fingers with my slick and slipping them into me. I fist the sheets, stuttering as I ask that he come up to me. 

"A-Alpha." I trailed off in the end, energy stolen with the way sunk his teeth into the inside of my thigh. 

My sleek drips out, a clear indication of my arousal, and Harry's lips grow puffy from sucking on the rim where the clear lubrication leaked from. He held my hips firmly and poked his tongue into my heat, licking as much of the essence as he can. I feel my inferior length fatten with the need to release and Harry detaches his mouth from me. 

"Can I have a pillow, darling?" He asks, sweetly kissing my hips where the bones jutted out. 

I nod and clamber upward for a pillow, before being flipped over onto my tummy. I feel Harry's tongue on me again, causing my arms to weaken and fall into the mattress. 

"I want to try something new, okay?" He kisses the voluptuous flesh and tucks the pillow under me. 

He easily slips one finger into me, pumping it along with a partner until he prods at my prostrate and I cry out. I fight my climax, not wanting it to end so quickly or be uncomfortable for the remainder of this time. 

I roll back against his hand when he adds a third finger, thrusting them into me all at once quickly. I break up my sentences and tremble against the bed, at the mercy of such divinity. Harry kisses the base of my spine when he adds a fourth, well aware that I'm able to take so much more. The thumb goes last and I can't fight my orgasm anymore as it rips through me. 

Harry uses his entire hand to penetrate my writhing body until I start rising again and black spots appear in my vision. He pulls out, ignoring my whine and leaning down to kiss the line of my perineum. I squeal when he fits the length of his tongue into me, no resistance presenting itself. 

He crawls back up to me, lacing our fingers together on either side of me and pressing it into the mattress. I feel him enter me, stretching my body to accommodate the double intrusion. I pant and arch my body, whimpering and asking for him to move. He filled me so well that I felt him press against my special spot without effort. 

"Okay, lovely?" He kisses my cheek and temple. 

I nod and moan, digging my nails into his hand. "M-Move."

He starts to buck his hips quickly, causing me to shift further up the bed and keen from the rough thrusts. He bit down on the back of my neck, recarving another bond bite and moving faster. I'm crying out desperately as he fucks wildly, hips snapping against me and making my vision white out. 

I release all over the pillow under my waist and sag against the mattress, overtaken with electric pleasure. I pull him down with me as he comes, flowing steadily into me as we stayed locked together. 

"Everytime is better than the last." He nuzzles my shoulder and I giggle, exhausted but still able to turn bright red. 

"I love you." I kiss his lips when they make an appearance. 

"I love you so much." He pinches my hip and stays there, squashing me with his head right next to mine. 

I wiggle my hips and he groans before playfully biting my neck, making me try harder to break free. 

"What's this festival of Luna?" Harry asks when he's arranged us in a proper position on our sides. 

"The festival of mates, in other words." I tell him with a dopey smile. "It happens every full moon so that every Alpha gets to celebrate their Omega."

"Really?" Harry drapes his arms around my body against the chill entering the room through the open balcony. "Sounds interesting."

"It starts when the night is dark enough. There's a bonfire and dancing. But first, the Omegas need to partake in a chase."

"What kind of chase?" He mutters, brushing my cheek. 

"These people have their own woods. It's clear of other tribes or people, so the Omegas are asked to run through it with a lead start before their Alphas try to find them."

"Are all Omegas found?"

"Most of the time. Some Alphas just don't want to and their mates are left out there to come back on their own or die." I look at where our hands are interlocked. "I've always wanted to take part but I never had an Alpha."

"So it's for already mated pairs?"

"It's for the _Ilijis._ " These ironically friendly clan of warriors were known as the Ilijis since they escaped the mountain of their ruthless king, Roueen. "It's an initiation of newly mated couples." 

"That's nice." 

Harry finally pulls out of me when he's finally deflated slightly and hitches my leg up on his hip. I pull myself up onto his chest and fit my head under his chin, clasping his shoulder with one hand and holding his hand with the other. 

"You said you wanted to be part of the festival?" Harry kisses my forehead, keeping his lips pressed there. 

I hum and close my eyes. "But we can only watch."

"Why is that?"

"It's only for these people. Once tonight is over, they're free to have children and just live together. Even if I participated, I'd never be able to do any of those things."

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry taps Louis' nose and the boy looks up at him, sliding a leg onto either side of the Alpha. "What do you mean _never_?"

Louis' sated smile sobers. "I was born with a placenta but my mother had it.....burnt."

The look on Harry's face is of pure horror as he sits up, pulling Louis against his chest and the covers around him in a little nest of warmth. 

"It's um...-" Louis bit his lip to keep it from quivering. "-I don't know if we can fix me."

"No. Baby, don't cry." Harry hugs the boy to his chest, rubbing his back soothingly and kissing all over his face. "Please don't be upset. Please, angel."

Louis cries harder against Harry's chest, hot tears running down his face. This topic has always been a hard one because as an Omega he's supposed to be able to have children, one day make his Alpha so happy. Learning early in life that he never could because his own mother had his placenta singed and knotted, breaks his heart. He feels especially guilty for never having told Harry, who deserved to know since the first day. 

"I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Louis curls himself around Harry's form just so that he'd have something to hold onto when the Alpha let him go. "I know I was wrong. I'm sorry, Alpha. I wanted t-to fix myself first bef-before I told you everything."

"Shh, little one." Harry combs his fingers through Louis' hair and rocks the boy slowly. "I'm not angry. It doesn't matter to me, okay? We're going to spend the rest of our lives together and that's _more_ than I deserve."

Harry secures the sides of Louis' face in his palms, wiping the dampness away from the boy's cheeks and under his nose. 

"There's nothing to forgive. You've done nothing wrong. We'll figure something out _later_ because now, you don't need anymore stress and worry. Promise me you're not going to upset yourself over this?"

Louis hesitantly nods and Harry rewards him with a firm kiss on his lips, earning a small smile from the Omega. 

"There we are." Harry gives Louis an Eskimo kiss that brings the boy completely out of his shell to giggle. 

"I love you, Harry. Thank you for not giving up on finding me. Without you I'd be miserable and alone." Louis kisses the corner of the Alpha's mouth. "You take such good care of me and I'm the luckiest Omega alive."

Harry nips at Louis' nose and kisses it after. "I love you too, baby doll. You know that, don't you? My precious Omega." He squeezes Louis' shoulders in a tight embrace before releasing him. "And it is I who would have surrendered to a lonely, destructive lifestyle had I not heard your voice in high school all those weeks ago."

Louis' cheeks turn pink and he feels heat rise to his ears. He whines and nudges his mate's jaw until Harry gets the message to cuddle him in again. 

"I want you to take part tonight in the festival." Harry whispers. 

"It's okay." Louis shakes his head stubbornly. 

"I'm not asking, sweet boy."

  
* * * * *  


"I'll run a bath for you." Harry offers, having felt Louis awaken after a six hour slumber. 

Louis mumbles his consent and falls back against the pillow, instantly missing his Alpha's warm presence. He groans and pathetically slumps against the sheets, trying to fall under again but it just doesn't feel the same now.   
Ares has returned after spending the day with the locals, taking full advantage of their admiration and showing off. He lands professionally on Louis' bare thigh and settles down. 

"We forgot about these." Harry walks back into the room bearing sweets and fruits on a tray, with clothing draped over his shoulder. 

"Thank you, Hazza." Louis accepts a strawberry that Harry bites after he has. 

"My pleasure." 

Harry drags Louis onto his lap, ignoring the yapping noises he gets from Ares when the dragon tumbles onto the loose sheets. He covers Louis' eyes and feeds the boy an array of fruits until he's satisfied the boy won't be hungry later on. 

He steals the last red grape for himself and pops it in his mouth before kissing Louis.   
The Omega smiles and pushes the plates aside to straddle Harry's waist, deepening the kiss. Harry tilts his chin up to maintain the connection before Louis pulls away completely, leaving the demon with a sad pout, and revealing the grape he stole from Harry between his teeth. 

"Is my bath ready?" Louis saunters into the adjoined bathroom with Harry following his figure. 

After a hot bath and spontaneous round two that had Louis screaming - to Harry's satisfaction - as he tried not to slip off Harry's lap, he pulled on a paper thin robe just to dry off. He wasn't going to cover himself in clothing so soon while his skin still tingled. 

He walked onto the balcony and leaned against the concrete palisades as he admired the night falling just perfectly on these lands. Below several people were preparing for the festival, hurrying to finish before the sun went down. 

A couple of children spotted him standing on such a high balcony in Eren's tower and gathered in a small crowd to wave. Louis blushed and waved back vigorously. 

"Who are you waving at?" Harry snuck up behind him, encircling Louis' waist with broad arms and kissing his neck. 

"Them." Louis motions to the children who are laughing and leaving to go back to work. "Isn't it beautiful here?"

Harry set his chin on Louis' shoulder, kissing the boy's pulse point on his wrist when he reached up to brush the demon's curls. "It definitely is."

"Do you think they'd have space for us? We will be needing a new home after......this is all over."

"I don't think anyone's ever going to say no to you."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. If you want to live here, then I'll make that happen."

"I'm not going to lie and say the temptation isn't there." Louis admittingly shrugs. "But don't you think it's.......selfish? To be so ready to leave everyone so we can do what we want."

"We've been through this." Harry turns his mate around to face him. "Remember that nobody cares for us in return for the way you do. We're independent and on our own from now own. We can do whatever we want."

"I know." Louis breathes, feeling ages old and dog tired. 

"Forget your doubts now." Harry leads inside by the hand, so the Omega's chance at changing attire wasn't revealed to all the onlookers. 

Louis stands obediently on the cold tile, bare footed and eager. The clothes they'd sent up were unlike regular Zohrai clothing - which Louis is grateful for - with loose waists and sleeves where Louis could shift easily. At the back of his mind, Louis worked out exactly what he was going to say when he sent word to Alfred and Niall. 

What would they think of him? Would they disown his friendship? He bit his lip, terribly afraid of those realities, and tries to focus on what he's supposed to do here. 

Harry unties the front of his robe, sensing Louis' inability to do much physically on his own. The thin material falls elegantly to the ground, pooling at Louis' feet. Harry fits a black tunic that dropped to Louis' ankles. 

Louis is suddenly reminded of another thing and separates himself from Harry. "I'll be right back, love!"

Harry, struck dumb by this sudden burst, follows Louis dutifully out of their chambers into the corridor. Louis goes into Eren's room, and Harry goes with him.   
Louis whispers something to the man in bed, chattering away quickly and keeping Eren from his evening tea. 

Eren nods before exclaiming, "I'll personally attend the festival if you're doing the chase."

"Thank you, Eren." Louis grins and kisses the man's temple. 

"Yes, yes. Now get your naked demon out of my room."

Louis notices Harry's standing at the door, with a raised eyebrow of disapproval, and waiting. He slides off the bed and exits the room with Harry on his tail. 

"I said I'd be right back." Louis reminds the demon once they're back in their room. 

"You didn't expect me to leave it at that, did you?" Harry grabs ahold of Louis' wrists and falls onto the bed with the boy laughing below himself. "I should punish you."

Louis grumbles and wraps his legs around Harry's waist, the latter rips through the sides of the tunic so Louis can do so without cutting himself. 

"Is what I've already given you of my body not good enough?" Louis kisses Harry's jaw and the familiar protruding vein in his neck multiple times. 

"It's never enough." Harry's chest rumbles and his voice lowers the way he does when he's planning to do something that will make Louis blush mindlessly. 

As planned, Louis shrieks when Harry reaches between them to position himself and glide into his mate. The heat envelopes him and Harry groans into Louis' neck, spreading the Omega's legs and tipping his head off one side of the bed. 

Louis' slick wasn't flowing as it would had there been foreplay, and he breathes heavily trying to keep from hurting himself. He focuses on how sweetly he's clutching around his Alpha, throwing his head back and submitting fully. 

"So beautiful." Harry starts thrusting slowly, not intending to go fast this time. "I'm the luckiest Alpha alive."

Louis' head turns towards the door, fallen against the hard mattress. His body jerks upward as Harry thrusts deep into him with hard athletic precision, his small hands gripping Harry's biceps and tiny high-pitched noises falling from his lips in an endless stream. 

An obnoxious knock on the door echoes through the room, making Harry growl and continue to bury himself in his mate without a care. "Enter."

Louis panics and tries to scramble away, only the twisting heat in his abdomen keeps him from moving against his Alpha's wish. He pulls Harry down to him, hiding in his sweaty neck so he doesn't feel entirely humiliated that a person's about to walk in on them. 

"Sir?" Comes the voice of someone who could be old enough to discard this memory. 

"H-Harry." Louis mewls, softly into his mate's ear. 

"I got you, precious." His Alpha kisses his throat and shoulder before regarding their visitor. "What is it?"

"S-Sir, I was told to deliver these to Louis." The messenger keeps his eyes on everything except the intimate pair. 

"What are they?"

"Letters."

"Leave them somewhere and get out."

The boy is all too willing to drop the envelopes on a small table and close their door after exiting. 

Harry kept his hips magnetising to Louis', each time going as deep as he can. Louis saw stars and squeezed his eyes shut, overwhelmed with the passionate emotion they're exchanging this time.

  
* * * * *  


Louis had taken time out to help the people preparing for the festival. The children stuck to him like glue, always telling family stories and jokes so that he'd laugh that carefree giggle. 

"Careful!" He shouts to a small girl, Georgina, who attempted to carry a stone for the thrones herself. 

"But I want to help, Lou." She complains when he takes the carved rock away. 

"And you can." Louis picks her up off the ground, perching her on his hip. "We can paint the crests on the thrones, okay?"

"Okay." 

There are close to forty-seven Alpha thrones this year - Harry's is still being made since Louis' admission was the latest - and each crest is different. Louis knows the children are just going to hurt themselves trying to do bigger jobs so he takes it upon himself to keep them with him, painting the bond crests onto the grand chairs.   
Each Alpha had to be present with the blacksmith and carpenters when his throne was being completed, and that's where Harry was now. Louis was sitting on the arm of each throne he painted the crest of, thin shoes on just for protection. 

"Lou!" One of the triplets - Louis isn't sure which one - that belong to a lovely couple from the river, calls him. 

"Yes?" He looks at her quickly before going back to carefully brushing gold paint onto his twelfth throne. 

"What's your Alpha like?" The ignorant girl of nine years old, asks. 

"Ummm..." He sets his instruments down as do the children, sensing a story. "He's the most beautiful man I've ever met. Inside and out."

"But he's a demon."

"That doesn't make him any less of an Alpha." Louis smiles sweetly at the youngsters. "When you're older, you'll understand."

"But we want to understand now!"

Louis laughs, shaking his head. "Now, you're supposed to be getting ready for the festival."

"You're not ready yet either." One accuses him lightly. 

"That's because he was waiting for me." Another voice, deep and sounded like silk to Louis' strain, says. 

Louis turns to his left, to have Harry bend low enough to plant a kiss on his forehead and lips. "Hi."

"Hello there." Harry feels Louis' arm sneakily wrap around his waist. "Mind telling me why you're sitting on someone else's throne?"

"Oh yes. Where is yours?" 

"Over there." He nods in the direction of something being loaded onto a vacant spot for thrones. "It's quite.....big."

"Since when do you use elementary adjectives?" Louis accuses. "How _'big'_ is it?"

The glint in Harry's eye shows off his pride. "It'll be the grandest throne here tonight."

Louis rolls his eyes and turns back to the wide-eyed children, all staring at Harry. "You lot need to go get ready."

No response. 

"Try asking me for sweets from the food court tonight and your answer will be a flat no if you're not ready by the time I finish this crest."

"But Lou!" Someone whines. "We want to talk to him."

Harry frowns at the reference, even has the urge to look around him when the child points at him. 

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!"

Fearing the worst, Harry grips his mate tighter but Louis' grown to be perfect at evading him. He gets a peck on the cheek before Louis jumps down from the throne. 

"They're just children, okay?" He whispers. "I love you."

Harry watches Louis run off in the direction of other Omegas who need to ready themselves for tonight. When he looks back at the very short, very young people surrounding him he raises his eyebrow. 

"What is it that you want to talk about?" He asks them. 

No response. 

He sighs and catches Louis laughing at him.

  
* * * * *  


The first trumpet blew as a signal to everyone around who planned to attend the festival. The fire's been burning for over an hour and the twinkling stars stood out impressively against the night sky. Louis hadn't seen Harry in more than two hours, since he wasn't allowed to, and the Omega instincts in him were starting to weep from the separation. 

There was special attire for this evening, though it was nothing unique and extraordinary. Louis wore a type of dress robe, sewn and stitched at the last minute to match the shade of green Harry's eyes were almost perfectly. It had long sleeves and a stiff collar, with two halves at the front that needed to be held together by a thin sash.   
He was also meant to be completely naked under that robe, but snuck on some underwear for safety. Unfortunately the risk was detected by an oblivious other Omega and he had to remove it again. 

Louis doubted himself and his ability to remember all that he had to do tonight. He had to pull off this act because Harry was sweet enough to participate with him, and won't appreciate being publicly humiliated. 

When they were called out, Louis had been told to ditch his shoes since all they were allowed to wear was the robe. It was symbolic of something that Louis couldn't remember. He distracted his train of anxiety with anticipation to see Harry's throne. It was blocked earlier and now he'd get a clear view of it. Harry was so proud of it, eager to show it off even. 

Louis' hope of a modest stone chair vanishes into blank horror when he steps out into the circle near the fire. 

They'd awarded Harry the highest spot beside Eren for his throne, probably because of his status and power. Louis wanted to keep that under wraps until later. 

Harry's throne is, simply put, everything that the Alpha is. It's dark, black everywhere except for where the silver was polished at the arm rests. The back was made of swords, expensive and almost legendary in their make; each one was thick and made for slicing something with life. Ares was perched just above the spot where their bond tattoo's mark was engraved.   
The chair itself Louis could not see because Harry was sitting on it, commanding the entire ceremony without caring to. He was in his prime stage of arrogance, soaking up all the attention he was getting. 

When Harry spotted Louis across the flames of a tall bonfire, he smirked although aware of his mate's distress. Louis never liked all the attention on him, now them; but Harry thrived on the adoration of people he'd never repay. 

Harry mouthed something at Louis and although above the buzz of celebration it's impossible to hear, Louis knew what he had said. He bit his bottom lip and covered the distance to Harry's chair, smiling in greeting to Eren before directing his gaze at Harry. 

"Big?" Louis raises his eyebrow, not joking in the least. 

"I didn't lie." Harry reaches out for him, failing to succeed when Louis steps away. 

"You didn't tell the whole truth either."

"Are you upset because we have the best standing here?" 

"No." Louis looks around him. "I'm upset that you didn't tell me, and now you're here flaunting this.....thing."

"I'm not purposely showing off, Louis. People are attracted to beauty and strength."

"So you're not trying to make everyone worship you?"

"Gave up on that dream the day I met you." Harry smoothly saves himself. "This chair's too big and I'd like to hold you."

"I have to go back though." Louis sighs. 

"You're already mated to me and I won't have other eyes looking at you." Harry seizes Louis' hips and pulls him down to his lap. "And you're freezing."

Louis shrugs, giving in when his Alpha forces him to sit still. "We couldn't wear anything else."

"Oh?"

Humming, Louis takes Harry's hand and settles it on his bare thigh where the skin was pale and cold from the chill of the night. Harry brought his temperature up to a toasty degree before exploring under Louis' robes where nobody saw them. 

Eren had fallen asleep - it was no surprise - and people were loud as ever as they rejoiced. The new mated couples shared their Alpha's thrones and passed around alcohol and sweets. Harry was undoubtedly the most powerful Alpha present here tonight, and everyone seemed well aware of that.   
Not many people liked others of equal or more standard, but Louis loved this tribe for their ability to accept. They knew they could learn from new things rather than hope to destroy it. 

Louis gasped when Harry's warm hand squeezed his bare flesh under the dress, not at all ashamed to grope his mate in public. 

"You really are not wearing anything else." Harry continues up Louis' body, flattening goosebumps as he went. 

"Told you." 

Louis tucked his feet under Harry's thighs but the demon jerked away and he felt suddenly guilty. He probably shouldn't have done that. 

"Sorry." Louis pulls away, smiling apologetically. 

"No. No, darling." Harry chuckles, kissing Louis' knuckles. "You just shocked me."

Louis exhales and cuddles back against Harry, wrapping his legs around Harry's back and revelling in the warmth the demon provided. Harry put Louis' feet between his legs where it would stay rejuvenated of warmth. Louis just had to take part in the actual chase, that would commence once the moon shone directly above the highest tree in the forest. 

"So tell me what I must do later on when you've left me for the company of trees." Harry keeps his lips pressed against Louis' neck where it would tickle everytime he spoke. 

Louis' look of observation transformed into a grin. "You ought to have the resources to find me quickly, Harold."

"And why is that?"

"If I'm cold now, I'll turn blue out there."

Harry shuddered at the possibility of his precious mate turning discerning colours because of his inability to locate and shelter him. 

"You can count on me finding you before you've taken your first cold breath." Harry groans when the final trumpet blows, signalling that the moon has found its peak. 

All eyes, of a thousand men and women, turn to the old oak that stood tall and proud in perfect alignment with the moon. Louis smiled and all too eagerly slipped off Harry's lap. 

"Be careful!" Harry called after him, already feeling the dregs of warmth part from him when Louis waves and winks at him in departing. 

Louis regretted his decision to not rebel and wear shoes, but this would be over soon and he can warm himself up in the presence of his mate. He took a deep breath, feeling the sharp chill settle in his lungs on the intake and he shivers. Harry stiffens in his seat, gripping the stone with such vigour that it chips from the pressure. 

"Please be careful." Harry whispers to no one, sending waves of security and support to Louis through their bond. 

Louis feels resolved when he gets the emotions experienced by his mate, and smiles to himself. 

"I'll be careful." He whispers in response. 

The rules were simple enough and Louis paid careful attention to each one in turn, as did Harry. They were given a whole minute to get as deep and far away from the gathering as they could before the Alphas were allowed to leave. Each one stood with tense shoulders and hooded expressions as they looked on, helpless to the arbitrary whims of their Omegas. The forest felt particularly _sick_ tonight but nobody was focusing on that. 

When danger was sensed or seen, the old oak would burst into flames so bright so as to never be ignored. If the flame was green, the danger was a creature that any Omega could handle. If it was blue, everyone had to secure their homes and families. If it was crimson, one or more of the Omegas had been killed by something they couldn't defend themselves against. 

After the very sullen discussion was voiced and the compulsory warnings were issued, the Omegas were free to go. It seemed as it the forest swallowed them up whole, with teeth of shadows and arms of cold. One by one, they disappeared into the wilderness.   
Harry thought he could handle letting his little Omega go freely, but now his heart beat a mile a minute and his instincts flared. Something wasn't right. 

Louis closed his eyes and listened to sounds around him, refusing to let anything intimidate him. He breathed in and released a white whisp of air that chapped his lips and closed his throat.   
He moved deeper into the forest, fighting to keep body heat alive and moving through his body. The temperature was an easy negative and Louis' teeth chattered. He wished he at least brought Ares with him. 

There was nothing around him, but he knew he was being watched by many a thing. The trees were invisible to him and only the wink of a glowing insect alerted him of the ground. He didn't trip as he moved, and he didn't let fear get to him because he knew Harry would pick up on that and bust a vein. 

The hoot of an owl caused his head to snap left, then the howl of something else made him look right. The rustling of dried, dead leaves made his heart pick up speed and his mind race. He chewed his lip and bit it too hard. 

Finally he heard the sounds of someone getting too close too fast. They were running and that scared Louis in itself. Why were they running? 

_What were they running from?_

He almost screamed when someone grabbed his arm but he looked at this person with wide eyes when he took in their injuries. 

She was Omega, one of theirs without a doubt. She was injured terribly, clutching her side where rivers of blood flowed over her pale skin. She was hunched over and dirty everywhere. 

"H-Help me." She pleaded. 

Something was eating at him again and he nodded, securing his arm around her waist. 

"It's alright." He reassured her. "We'll-"

Something heavier with bigger teeth that stood out against the black air, growled. Louis gasped and stepped back, only to trip for the first time and shriek when it lunged at them. 

Back at the gathering, everyone was frozen from the scream they'd hear. Harry smelt it first. Blood. He was about to shout about it when a bright red flame, the colour of one's beating heart, burst through through the night from the old oak. 

**_[A/N: I meant to post this earlier but time got away from me and my work is just piling upppp. I made it extra long to compensate for that though :) pweez lemme know what your thoughts are? Big love - S xx]_ **


	25. Chapter 25

**_[A/N: Fair Warning - This chapter was not supposed to end like this but it does now and it is not the end so fear not!]_ **

_My heart made it's choice, and it chose you._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

It was the beginning point of a life-or-death race. Every Alpha present took off into the woods without a moment of hesitation, bearing weapons and throats tight with fear.   
Harry was the first in, of course. He had the ability to see through anything and yet still failed to locate the body heat that radiated off his mate. Ares flew above, straining to pick up even the faintest glimmer of his person's trace. 

There was nothing for either. 

Alphas returned to the camp, carrying their Omegas and whispering sweet words. Harry tore through the forest, becoming less cautious and more _afraid_ as his violence broke branches and burned tree trunks. He inhaled deeply, searching for Louis' wonderful scent and receiving nothing. 

He got no response for his vibes of worry sent through their bond. It was like communicating with nothing, a wall or just an empty pit. He growled and in his heated aggravation, starting setting alight everything that crossed his path or rode alongside it. He melted into his true form, leaving footprints of liquid fire that charred every living thing in his wake. 

He smelt their flesh roasting, their skin tearing and their noiseless screams screech. Nothing gave him a clue to the answer he sought. 

Harry's inability to control his inner Alpha, his inner demon even more, led to him stalking around the forest in his bright Possessor form. Until finally, he got a whiff of something familiar. 

It was at a river's edge, far from where the gathering was even being held. Ares came to settle on Harry's shoulder, unafraid of the live heat flowing through Harry's veins. Harry pushed his way through the tall trees and their endless supply of needle branches, finally coming to the edge of the forest. 

The river was wide and deep, previously used to hide murdered corpses. Harry can smell their bodies rotting in the salt water. 

There was something strewn across the pebbles, hooked over a boulder and blowing in the light breeze. Harry bent to pick it up, identifying it as the robe Louis was wearing. He also smelt blood, not Louis' blood, but the tears on the clothing weren't very reassuring either. 

Ares got restless, flying off Harry's shoulder to hover in the air with his guard aimed at the trees. They seemed taller somehow, more _alive._

Harry knew why.

His chest released a threatening rumbled as leaves shook and footsteps starting getting louder, crunching pebbles as they approached. Harry counted four by using his nose alone, and stepped back towards the water when the fifth was Louis. 

"Possessor." The group appeared out from the forest, the eldest spoke. 

He was bald, covered in a tunic as were the younger followers. The leader, not human or any singular species, had pure grey eyes with freckled skin. He was alive for far too long. 

Harry growled, causing the younger ones to back up, until their elder called them back. 

"Possessor, you're scaring my men." This haggard stranger said. 

Harry fanned out his wings, blocking the moon's shine and bared his teeth with a hiss. 

"You want your mate. We have him." 

The elder lifted his hand and out came two more individuals from the forest. Harry was unnerved by the fact that he hadn't smelt them. When the two strangers shifted, a painful sight was revealed. 

Louis lay crumbled on the ground, bare as a newborn with blue skin, on the ground. Harry moved towards him, _needing to protect him_ but he collided with an invisible wall. A shield lay separating him from them, from his defenceless mate. 

"You won't see him again." They told him, eyes empty and plain. 

Harry dug his nails into the shield, trying to rip it apart but only hurting himself with the backlash shocks. Ares blew glorious flame on it, suffering the partition's punishment as well, but it bounces back at them harmlessly. The flames turn black when they touch Harry. 

"Please." Harry turned to begging, Louis was unconscious from the cold and he needed help. He needed Harry. "Why did you take him?"

"You're asking?" The man laughs, cold and heartless. "Why, I expected a round of threats and slaughter from you."

Harry glares at the man, using every ounce of his power to get through the shield but whatever is going against him, knows more than he does. 

"We are just settlers of debts, Possessors. We'll leave once our deed is done." 

Harry waits for an explanation. 

"You broke the rules and I am here to ensure he understand the consequences of such an act."

"What rule?"

"What rule? Obviously a Possessor's only rule." The man points at Louis and Harry's vision runs red with hatred. "His mate shall not belong to a kind not nurtured in Hell. His mate shall die by my hand otherwise."

Harry understood now, and he fell to his knees when he realised what he'd done. With Louis, he'd forgotten his responsibility and his status. Louis was his light, his deep love that took all the pain away. 

"There's a penalty to pay but for you, it is less painful." He continues. "My name is Menoxi."

Harry didn't care, and he certainly didn't pretend to. He tried again to destroy the barrier that kept him from killing these men and getting to his mate, but the force made his nails bleed profusely and his strength weaken. These powers were from Hell, because nothing on Earth could demote his strength this way. 

Menoxi turned around, away from Harry, and started towards Louis. Harry screamed and cursed the man though it fell on deaf ears. 

"Don't touch him!" Harry growled, the anger boiling rapidly within him. "Leave him alone, he's innocent! He doesn't need your hands on him."

Harry released the most piercing cry of a helpless Alpha when Menoxi failed to listen, rolling Louis onto his side where the Omega choked and coughed onto the dirt. Harry's body seemed to explode with the need to get to Louis, make him better.   
The fire that was struck alight within him grew prouder and moved out of him. He screeched, causing every creature on his side of the barrier to cower and whimper before a bright flash arose and everything was on fire. 

He burnt the trees and dried the lake, scorching heat elevated into the skies to warn the world of his agony. He expressed his power and hoped it would help. 

"I do not feel sorry for you." The man who held Louis' cold cheek said. "But this poor boy doesn't deserve what you've done to him."

Harry felt hopeless and the panic rose alongside fear for the first time in all his years of life, of destruction. He punched the barrier, pounded it with his fists but it did not cave. His desperation escalated and his sheer lack of control was dragging its nail inside his head. 

Louis didn't deserve this, and yet he was being served a cruel fate. Harry saw him, red eyed and exhausted with twitching fingers, looking back at him with a tiny reassuring smile. It wasn't enough for Harry because Harry's duty is to protect him, keep him safe. 

"Louis!" Harry shouted in the most powerful voice he had. "Please! Leave my mate alone and punish me!"

"You don't get pity now, Possessor." Menoxi spat. "Read him his charges."

One of the younger ones stepped forward and spoke clearly above Harry's shrieks and pleading. 

"You disobeyed your only rule of conduct, Possessor. Your power will not be stripped but your courtship shall be. You escaped to another world and pretended to live among them. You are banished from the realms of Hell. You mated with a Zohrai member. In your name, he will be killed." 

The lad stepped back, done with his duty for the night. The men dropped their cloaks and revealed themselves for the folk of simple demon heritage, but a dash of wizardry.   
Their beady eyes were sewn too close together, their eyebrows permanently knitted. Their skin was thin and turning transparent from the exertion of power. 

Harry dug his hands into the ground, ignoring the burn of his own flames as he pressed harder. Ares roared and slammed futilely into the shield, unable to break it. 

Losing his self restraint at the sight of his little Omega being tossed aside and Menoxi removing his enclosed blade, Harry spread out his hands and used every ounce of will to just _ruin._ The trees cracked as they crashed and all the villages to the other side of the river were burnt. Harry destroyed everything and ruined everything. Everyone deserved to suffer as he was already losing the bits of his soul his mate gave him. 

When he saw Louis again, not afraid but just tired, Harry shed his first tear. He couldn't do anything and he cried because nobody's ever felt for anyone like Harry loved his Louis. He saw the first time they met in Louis' eyes, their first kiss on Louis' lips, their first revelation through their now almost severed bond, and their dead future in his hands. 

Harry wouldn't have that. He simply would not sit here and watch his mate suffer for him, for what he's done. Harry had to do what his main purpose was, what his initial evil was. Possession.   
It was forbidden to be done on non-mortals but Harry saw no rationalism when it came to Louis. 

_"Ares."_ Harry called. 

He used the dragon for its flames, by placing his palm in front of Ares' mouth and when flames arose it turned to black smoke that enveloped all sides of the shield.   
It took energy, more energy than Harry's cared to use before. His nose dripped blood, a vivid black, that he hastily wiped away. 

The barrier weakened, and the crack of one corner breaking under pressure scared Menoxi enough to drop his blade. Harry was counting the seconds that Louis had left before he passed out and never came back. He used his free hand to control their hearts, all in one. The exertion caused his knees to buckle but he bit his lip until he was bleeding poison from there, fighting to maintain himself. 

Their bond was weakening by the second, and it was slicing through Harry's chest. The pain of losing a bond was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. The pain of losing his precious Omega would trigger Harry's rampage where all the worlds would be in danger. 

Stopping Ares at last, Harry had just a moment to clasp his hands together and slide them over each other. The shattering of the shield was louder than the tossing of stones between the mountain giants, than any thunderstorm and several animals began to screech. At the same time, Harry cut through the group's hearts. In their chests, it physically tore apart to create the worst possibly anguish before they howled and crumbled. 

Harry supports himself on the ground, body and mind stripped of any youthful strength and vigour now that he's used so much of himself. His Possessor form faded into ash, leaving him in his more comforting human form.   
Stumbling, he made his way over to Louis where the boy lay curled up on his side prone to so many dangers. 

"Lou?" Harry kicked the blade away, twisting his ring so a black suit clothed himself. "Baby, come on."

Louis' skin was cold to the touch, goosebumps absent and no rise in his chest. 

"No." Harry choked on his sob, falling to the ground and gathering Louis in his arms. "Lou, wake up. I saved you, look at me."

Harry's thigh brushed something wet and he blinked away most of his stinging tears to examine it. He just cried harder when he identified the source, clutching Louis to his chest still trying to keep the lifeless boy warm.   
He rocked back and forth, placing his hand on Louis' chest and shoving as much generated strength he had into the boy. Nothing. He bit down where the thin red gash ran across his throat to heal it. It sealed but Louis was still ice and limp. 

Harry screamed at the moon and used the remnants of his power for tonight to turn it red, showing the world his suffering. 

He hadn't saved his Louis, hadn't gotten to him in time. He was a failed Alpha and he hated himself. 

"I'm so sorry, kitten." Harry sobbed, breaking up his words. "I let you down and I-I deserve your wrath."

 _Yes_ , Harry thinks. 

"Come back to me. Come back and just be angry forever at me. Please, angel." He kissed Louis' dead lips. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me."

Ares had collapsed against a bunch of trees, taking them down with him as he landed by Louis. Ares had to die too, with his person. 

"I love you." Harry ignored the lump in his throat to kiss Louis' forehead and their mate mark. "I'll always love you. Don't leave me, Lou. I don't want to face the sun without you."

Harry's never felt so much hurt and agony, helplessness and inner turmoil all rolled into himself. He wanted to smash things, feel it break and get destroyed like his heart was. But he still didn't want Louis to see him so reckless, feeling as though the boy can still see him. 

There was a soft noise from above, and two little white figures flittered down from the tree they were kneeling at. Harry, through his tears, hugged Louis tighter and hid his face in his neck. 

"Possessor?" Comes a tiny, feminine voice. 

Harry shakes his head, hiding more of Louis' body in his arms and getting himself covered in the blood that had spilt. 

"Possessor, be brave." A tiny touch of an extremely small hand brushes his cheek. 

He looks up, no longer equipped to fight and just wanted to mourn, to grieve. What he was could be a fairy. Two fairies. They didn't have wings but they could fit in his palm and were white from head to toe, emitting a soft glow. 

"I'm Alice." The closest fairy who touched his cheek draws back. "I want to tell you I've never seen a better Alpha."

Harry didn't listen to her, because nothing could bring his baby back now. He melted into his true form and wrapped his tail around Louis' middle protectively. 

"This tree is the oldest in the forest and belongs to an old warlock." Alice explains softly. "I can.....help your mate."

Harry's head snaps up. "I couldn't help him, how can you?"

"This." She motions for three more fairies to approach and place a clear vile in his hand. "This will bring him back, but not today."

Harry frowns, closing his hand around the offering. 

"You drink it then kiss him." She giggles. "You will sleep for a very long time and will awaken when he turns a healthy age again in another life."

Harry's never heard of this art of witchcraft before and looks down at his beloved mate, ready to do anything to get his heart beating again. 

"Will he know me when he sees me?" Harry asks, brushing Louis' hair and cheek. 

"When he touches you again, he will remember."

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"We saw everything. All you did wrong was fall in love and whether it's out of your species or not, love is the only pure emotion left in this world."

"Where will he be reborn, Alice?"

"When you awaken, you must find him where you found him first."

"He'll be mortal."

"No one can say for sure. If you were written by the Gods in the stars, even with you being a demon, it could the chance to rectify something in the past. You could awaken to past, present or future. There is no way of knowing."

The red moon is eclipsed by a gathering of clouds that blocks out their only source of light besides the fairies. 

"Go." She urges him. "Leave him with me."

"No." 

"You must." She touches Louis' hand and the skin starts to glow. "No Alpha should see his mate passing on."

Harry opens the vile, ready to live or die as a side effect, and drowns the entire thing. He leaves his lips wet when he kisses Louis, soft and full of the radiant love he still possesses for his darling mate, lover and best friend. When he draws back, Alice forces him to leave and find a place he can sleep undisturbed. They take Ares too. 

Unable to cover much ground in his human form, Harry uses his shape shifting abilities to turn into a wolf. He finds an unmarked cave and recites a curse upon the entry that will snap the limbs off anyone who enters or nears it from curiosity. 

The potion takes effect after a full five minute period that he grieves for. He remembers every good memory of him and Louis, then the bad and finally smiles at the recollection of Louis' laugh. His chest was heavy and his mind felt empty, void of everything that could ever be important. He just wanted his mate again, to hold him and make him giggle. 

He fell asleep to the memory of blue eyes that crinkled at the corners.


	26. Your Silhouette

**_[A/N: Let me just say this. I'm PISSED that people only find the time to send hate in for stories they don't even ready. Honestly, please shut up. Whether I do a cliche or not doesn't concern you so stop being an asshole. Don't call my work "trash" or threaten to report me just because of a simple disliking for one aspect. Nobody's obligated to read my work so if it makes you uncomfortable go read a fairytale with a universal ratng I couldn't care less. There's enough hate in this world already.]_ **

_I've lost my mind trying to be in yours._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"Where is he?" Niall asked Alfred, fatigue evident in all their expressions as they met after a week of separation. 

"I don't know." Alfred shrugs. "I didn't hear from Harry or him."

"At all?" Liam raises his eyebrows.

"At all." Alfred looks at Swift knowingly, but were as discreet about it as possible. 

"Don't bother fucking hiding it." Niall snapped, as an Omega he picked up on the subtle things. "What happened to my best friend, Alfred?"

"Love, calm down-"

"No. Shut up, Liam." Niall pushed his Alpha's arm away. "What did Harry do?"

"Niall, Harry didn't do anything. We just haven't heard from them." Swift tries to settle the debacle. 

"Bullshit!"

"You're right." Alfred sighs. "Louis' dead."

Niall stops with his front of rage and stumbles back as if the words alone stung him. "W-What?"

"We uh..." Alfred wipes his eyes futilely. "The fairies found him and they took care of him."

"Where the fuck was that demon? I'll kill that demon if I see him again."

"Stop it." Alfred admonishes. "It wasn't Harry's fault. That man is suffering already more than any Alpha deserves."

Liam understood that and he wraps Niall up in a hug before the Omega starts crying loudly. He doesn't know whether to be angry or not, but he pushes Liam away and clings tighter to him simultaneously. 

"Is he really gone?" Niall whimpered. 

Liam nodded, tears flooding his own eyes as Alfred and Swift joined in the embrace for comfort. "Yes, darling. He is."

Miles away in a tiny village in Alaska, a first-time mother named Alexa succumbs to her loss of blood and passes away at 01h25. Her son was born a minute earlier with her deep blue eyes and his father's feathery hair. He wailed with a powerful set of lungs, just like his deceased doppelganger. 

**_Two Years Later......._ **

"Baby Lou." The baby's father, Christopher, wipes his hands on a dish towel before picking the toddler from the play pen with Odynne, their husky. "Time to bath."

The boy starts to giggle and his eyes crinkle at the corners when his dad tickles his tummy. 

"Daddy!" He squeals, trying to push his father away. "Washy."

"That's right, big boy. Washy time."

Louis' always loved bath time and he particularly enjoyed floating around in his little baby tub like a boat. Chris starts a bubble bath and settles Louis in. 

"Aunt Carrie is coming for dinner." He tells the boy while washing his dark brown hair with the Winnie The Pooh shampoo. 

Louis' eyes instantly light up and Chris brightens up all the same, his son has been the light of his life for as long as he can remember now.

"Aggie's coming?" Louis blows bubbles at his father. 

"Yeah, she is."

"Can I show her my new pacifier?"

**_Seven Years Later....._ **

Louis woke up from his first nightmare crying and his father burst into the room, worry painted across his face. 

"Lou?"

As a response, Louis holds his arms out and hugs his father around his neck. In his Spiderman pyjamas he didn't look like the big boy Johnson Aldridge always told him he wasn't on the playground. 

"Bad dream?" Chris rubs Louis' back. 

Louis nods and shakes his head at the same time, that tiny developing voice inside his brain telling him not to tell. 

"I'm okay."

"Sure, Lou?"

Louis sniffs and nods slowly. "Yeah."

"Alright." He gets a peck on the forehead. "Wanna sleep in my room?"

Louis nods and follows Christopher to the master bedroom, holding his dad's hand all through the night. 

The next day Louis gets a kiss on the cheek from Allison Greenbridge, but it doesn't make him all tingly like when the man in his nightmares - before anything bad happens - with green eyes kisses him.

He tells his closest mate, Donny, about his strange dreams at lunch while they share an apple. Louis takes a bite then Donny does. 

"On the lips?!" Donny gasps. 

Louis blushes and heat rises to his ears. "Y-Yeah."

When Louis walks home with their pet husky that afternoon, holding the dog's fur in his little fist, he decides that pizza is better than pasta. 

"Dad!" Louis walks into the house after toeing his boots off. 

"Hmm?" Chris answers from his study. He always has the door open in case nine-year-old Louis ever needs something. 

"Can we have pizza today?" The little boy climbs onto his father's lap with some help. 

"You want pizza?"

"I want pizza." Louis grins. 

"Let's get pizza."

**_Three Years Later......_ **

"Go away!" Louis slams his bedroom door in Mark's - his first boyfriend with a jerk attitude recently - face. 

"Lou, come on." Mark knocks on the door. "Baby?"

"Leave me alone." Louis dumped his bag on the floor, felt guilty and picked it up to properly place it on his chair. "Kill him, Sparky."

Sparky, the only pup of their old husky's litter they got to keep, growls at the door from Louis' bed. 

"I'm kidding, Sparky." Louis pets the dog's head. 

"Lou, I'm sorry." Mark is still there. 

Mark had cheated, obviously being adolescents it wasn't any intimate form of cheating but making out with Allison Greenbridge behind the gym lockers was still called cheating. 

"Lou?" This time it was his dad, jiggling the handle. 

"Make him go away, Dad." Louis refused to cry but your first heartbreak always hurt a lot more than the rest. 

After some arguing on the other side of the door, Louis' dad recited a code they'd set in place in case robots took over the world and needed to confirm it was really them. Louis cries against his father's shirt shamelessly. 

That night he has his first nightmare in over a week, and he wakes up in a sweat. The tree outside his room is scraping up his window, but he'd never take it down. The snow has frosted his window and made everything fifty times colder. 

**_Four Years Later......_ **

Louis' final year of high school at seventeen years old and absolutely no idea what he's going to do with his life afterwards. He loves his home here in Alaska where everyone knew each other and there was enough harmony to go around. He also wanted to travel first before tying himself to the dinghy that was tertiary education.   
The catch was, Louis had been saving for the past half decade and only managed to gather enough cash to _maybe_ scower half of the US only. 

"Lou? Donny's here!" His father calls from downstairs. 

"Send 'em up please!" Louis sits by his window, curled up on the make-shift bed he'd created one lazy Sunday evening. 

It was prom night and neither Louis or Donny had dates to go, besides they didn't want to waste their night being fake friendly. Mark has been on Louis' back for the past year when Louis decided his heart was not a toy and the typical rebel of a boy couldn't come and go as he pleased. Turns out, Mark was more affected by the break up than usual. 

"Hey." Donny flopped down on Louis' bed, dyed black hair fanning out around his head. 

"Hmm." Louis chews on the end of his pencil until he realises he's torn off bits of the rubber. 

"I don't get why you're even sitting here."

Louis turns away from the coming storm outside and his favourite tree in the whole wide world, to gaze quizzically at his best mate. "Um..."

"I mean, somebody did ask you."

Louis scoffs. "Yeah, but Mark would have ditched me halfway through anyway."

"Don't think so."

"What?"

"He seems genuinely upset by all this."

"All this being?"

Donny throws a pillow at him. "Don't be ignorant on purpose, you idiot."

"You're mean."

"Shut up." Donny kicks off his shoes and opens Louis' laptop. "How do you even get a signal up here?"

"I got lucky."

He joins Donny on the bed to scroll through Netflix out of boredom, groaning everytime a movie stopped to buffer. 

Deep in the lands of what still goes unknown by humankind, the cave where a demon once slept with dwindling hope and no strength, rattles again. The fairies of the lakeside stopped their activities when a deep growl resonated throughout the healed forest, shaking the trees and upsetting the roots. The water rippled unceremoniously and even the mer-people covered their ears. 

Alice looked up from where she was weaving two branches together, smiling to herself. "He's awake."

The rain had started and the soft patter of the droplets hitting Louis' window always sent him into a slow slumber. He slumped against Donny's shoulder and closed his eyes. It only lasted a couple seconds before something heavier started beating against his shutters, shocking Louis out of his sleep. 

Donny is still asleep, stealing all of the blankets and currently Sylvester Stallone was delivering a macho monologue on his screen. Louis closed his laptop and stared out the window for a second, admiring the rain as it poured down on the iced streets and poles. 

His window rattled again and this time it wasn't from the tree he called Donovan - named in his childhood. Odus was downstairs, fast asleep next to Louis' dad on the couch.   
Louis approaches the window and opens the latch to peer outside, down at the sill where three small pebbles had collected. Glancing all the way down at their lawn, Louis sighs. 

"What are you doing?" Louis leans on his elbows, not responding sympathetically to the fact that Mark was outside in this treacherous weather. 

"Can I come in?!" Mark shook his hair, clearing his dark brown eyes of the rain. 

"No. Go away."

"Come on, Lou. Throw me a bone."

"You're correct in that statement for calling yourself a dog and don't you mean _boner?_ "

Mark wipes his eyes and the bushy eyebrows that have begun blocking his vision with the dampness. He sighs and crosses his arms, as does Louis. 

"Goodnight then." Louis rolls his eyes and mentally selects the sleep wear he'll wear tonight. 

"Wait, Lou!" Mark waves his arms as if acting on a last resort before Louis leaves him. "I love you, I always did. I can't live without you, baby. Please don't do this to us."

With his back to the boy under his balcony, Louis swallows his resolve and tries not to start crying. Mark and he went a long way back, well into their kindergarten years where they'd be really shy around each other. 

"I'm sorry, Mark." Louis shakes his head, ridding his mind of any evidence that he still loved someone who broke his heart.

Louis leaves Donny to sleep on his bed that night, and after taking a good long shower he helps his dad to his own room. Odus trots behind Louis back to his room and onto his cushion by the window, ready to spend a good few sleepless hours just staring at the rain. 

His town was too small, too few people to socialise with. No excitement beyond an annual ice fishing trip or like tonight, a teenager's prom. Louis felt empty inside, to an extent where he's certain he's had a void space within him since birth. Maybe even before that because every reaction, sign of emotion was attached to a bit of loneliness.   
He never smiled bright enough, laughed loudly enough or cried with all the spirit he should. He's been under the illusion that once he fills that gap or at least stitches it together, he won't ever do anything wholeheartedly. 

The next day is the same as the rest. Donny and Louis take a stroll to the supermarket with Odus for some groceries their folks require. They've been doing this since they were twelve and Donny has declared it a tradition. 

They were covered in the thickest of clothing, with boots that almost reached Louis' knees. He knows he's short, even for his age, but he feels like someday he'll discover the reason was so that he could fit into someone's side comfortably. 

"Mark came over last night." Louis says as they pass the last curve in the street. 

"Wait. Huh?"

"You were asleep." Louis laughs with empty eyes. "He didn't come inside."

"I'd have killed you otherwise." Donny nudges shoulder and laughs unabashedly. 

"Oh! You're disgusting." Louis scrunches up his nose and starts walking faster. "I disown you."

Nevertheless, they return with the correct groceries to their parents after bidding each other goodbye. Louis walks up to his porch with a very light feeling in his chest, it was insanely comforting and scarily foreign. He felt as though eyes were on him, watching closely as he walked into his home. 

He wasn't wrong. 

The next day was a school day for all the last year students. They needed to pick up any remaining certificates and promise to not forget their teachers for all they put into their eduction. Louis walked with Donny but didn't listen to a thing his best friend said. 

Today felt different. The air was still thin but it smelt sweeter, familiar. The weather was warmer and the clouds cracked open to let them see the son. 

"Do we even have to go for first period?" Donny asks, leaning against Louis' locker. 

"Probably." Louis mumbles. His head has started to hurt, and an usual place near his neck has started to itch. 

"What's wrong?" Donny taps Louis' shoulder. 

"Huh? Oh. Nothing." Louis thought this disorientation is much worse than he expected. 

"Let's go." Donny puts a hand on his back and Louis has a twisted feeling that he shouldn't have. 

The day goes by easily enough, Louis' headache comes and goes. He hardly has to pay attention except when in direct conversation with someone, and half those times Donny saves his awkwardness. He gets many numbers and promises to bring him back things from their travel experiences. Louis tries not to let that stump out his strained good mood. 

At the end of it all, everyone's departing from the parking lot after school. Louis just exits the building and a breeze messes his hair up, not that he cared. Mark was there, leaning against his car with his mouth in a grim line. Louis ignores him. 

The wind travels from Louis' personal space, to desperate nostrils a few feet away. Harry had been forced into making himself more presentable, considering he's been asleep for two tenths of a century. He wore all black; a blank black T-shirt that hugged his physique, black jeans that would stop his blood flow had he been more alive, and a black bandana to keep his hair away. 

He came to Alaska after following Louis' scent, and his heritage. He smelt the same and by the look of admiration in Harry's eyes, nothing has changed at all. His eyes were still warm blue, with baby soft skin that made Harry's hands twitch. He's waited long enough. 

Mark watches someone walk up to Louis' back, long and powerful strides in his movements. He was tall and built just right for his body. He didn't fit in here, and Mark lifted his chin to frown at this person. 

Louis nodded at something Donny said, struggling to put his last book away while his bag sat stiffly on his shoulders. 

Harry's senses went on overdrive when he was close enough to Louis, near enough to bathe in the sweet scent his mate gave off. He suddenly remembers everything as it rushed into his mind; the crying and the grief, the purest love and innocent lust from Louis. 

He didn't mean to be abrupt and possibly hurt Louis, but he grabbed the boy's elbow from behind and tugged gently so Louis spun and fell closer to him. Without hesitation but after a moment of staring into those breathtaking cerulean orbs, Harry smashes their lips together. 

At first it's just him kissing Louis' unresponsive lips, a concentrating frown between his brows as he circles the boy's waist and deepens the kiss. It was so much pain, so much hurt in their waiting to be together again. Harry cups the side of Louis' face, finally getting the boy to respond by pressing himself against the demon.

It had come rushing in a flood of memories. Grave memories. He remembers what dying had done to Harry, to his darling demon. He remembers the pain of death and how much his Alpha tried to save him. 

Harry rests his forehead on Louis', ready to tear up again now that they've got each other again. Waiting for a word or action from Louis, Harry doesn't see Mark push off his vehicle irritably. 

Louis searches Harry's eyes, connecting their hands innocently as he looked up at the man. His bottom lip trembled, remembering what had happened without being told but now that he'd touched his beloved he didn't need help recalling anything. 

"Harry." He hugged the demon tightly, crying against his shoulder. 

"Shh." Harry picked Louis up by the backs of his thighs. "I've got you, little one. It's me."

"I was so scared." Louis remembers that night like it was him in this body there at that time. 

"I know." Harry nods, securing both sides of Louis' face and wiping his tears away. "I'm so sorry, kitten. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"You were." Louis smiles with a little light in his eyes, kissing Harry's forehead and nose. "You always were. You're my big, strong Alpha."

Harry chuckles against the lump in his throat and kisses Louis again, holding the boy's wrists in his one hand before kissing his pulse. 

By this point every set of eyes was on them, most judgmental and others looking for stories to carry home. Louis hated the attention and Harry felt the boy settle into his arms where he's always known was the safest place to be. 

"Haven't seen you around here before." Someone, Mark, interrupts Harry from whispering something calming in Louis' ear. 

Harry still had his lineage, his inability to care for what anyone told him. He smelt the nicotine on this man, and the traces of something less legal running through his veins. He didn't answer. 

"Uh. Hello?" Mark tries again, eyes on Louis and that _boils Harry's blood._

"Fuck off." Harry snaps. 

Before Mark can come back with a remark he's never gotten to use before, Donny speaks up. 

"Uh...Lou? Who's this?" He's more polite in his question. 

That was their catch. Nobody knew, nobody understood. What would they do when the town's elders found out and felt the urge to take action?

"We have to go." Louis whispered in Harry's ear though he didn't have to. "Please."

Harry understood his mate before he listened to anything else, so he didn't bat an eye before taking off. Using the a kind of hallucinative effect, he rid every student and teacher's mind of Louis' or his presence. They'd just think he never went to school that day. 

As a mated couple - even though that stood in another lifetime - they were long past the awkward stage and sat comfortably in the fond stage. Harry took Louis away from any sign of civilisation in their town, to a meadow high up on a mountain. 

Louis was mortal now, so his lungs were weaker. He gasped for air until held him still, parted his lips and blew cold air down Louis' throat. It was another hidden ability of his, one that didn't include only means to destroy. 

"Better?" Harry combed through Louis' hair, feeling the boy lean into his touch. 

"Thanks." Louis blushed. 

Harry laid down on the grass and hauled Louis atop him, away from the dirt and grime. He caged Louis' waist in his arms and connected their lips for long durations of time, just letting them catch up with all the lost time. 

"I won't lose you again." Harry sat up with Louis against his chest. 

"I'm not going anywhere." Louis hid his face in Harry's neck like he always would. "You should know, Harry, that I didn't suffer. It didn't hurt when I died."

Harry furrows his brows and shakes his head in Louis' neck, tightening his hold and playfully sinking his teeth into Louis' shoulder. 

"You still suffered. I still suffered." Harry kisses Louis' pulse point and bends his knees off the ground so Louis has to be pressed against his front. 

"We have each other. You found me." Louis bumped their noses together. "But I'm mortal now."

Harry feels that large gap in his soul reserved for his special boy crack under scrutiny. Whoever it is that decided anyone's fate, really was cruel and Harry hoped one day he could kill them himself. Louis and he deserved to be happy together, forever in a little world for themselves. All their pain, their suffering and separation wasn't fair. 

"I'm going to figure something out, okay?" Harry insists. "I'm not letting you go and I'm not leaving."

Louis smiles and shivers at the rapidly dropping temperature. "You can't reverse mortality, love."

Harry raises his body warmth and embraces Louis. He feels determined to fix this, to fix them. It isn't right that he and Louis can't be happy together. There was always an obstacle and he would do absolutely anything for his love so he was never deterred. 

"My heart, body, mind and soul all belong to you through any lifetime." Louis brings him out of his reverie with soft words held against his tight jaw. 

"Ditto." Harry breathes out. 

Louis giggles and uselessly bats Harry's arm. "Meanie."

"I missed you so much." Harry tilts his chin up to lock their gazes peacefully. "There is no worse pain than not having you to hold. As much as we are mates, you taught me real love. Eternal, undying love."

The corners of Louis' mouth twitches and his eyes fill with water, spilling down his cheeks as he leans into Harry's touch for comfort. The demon, having just recently flexed his wings and other powers, tries all he can to console the boy, now no longer an Omega. 

"Can I see your true form again?" Louis sniffs, straddling Harry's lap carefully. 

"Anything you want, little one."

Harry stretches up to kiss Louis' forehead, his elbows still braced on the ground and receiving measly scrapes from the uneven stones. He changes into his true form slowly, relaxing every muscle in his body and wings as he transforms. It's been almost eighteen years and he's finding the shift a bit harder. 

"You're beautiful." Louis utters in a small voice, colour rising to his ears, when Harry changes back. 

It is still an unfathomable thing to Harry how Louis is able to see past the horror that presented itself on his face, not even flinching at first. 

"I was born by ripping through my mother's womb and I grew up to be the last Possessor of Satan's hand." Harry states coldly. "All that is beautiful about me can be found in you."

Louis' eyes widen at the bit about Harry's mother, then remembers that demons heal any injury. He leans in to Harry, asking permission to kiss him by brushing their lips past one another. His answer comes in the form of Harry straining his neck to have their mouths closer together, emitting the groan that resembled a whine of an Alpha who was disgruntled. 

"Sorry." Louis giggles and let's Harry roll them over until he's caught under the demon between his bulging arms. 

"So brave for a shy one like you." 

Harry playfully growls in Louis' ear, making the boy squeal in delight having missed every sound and gesture of his Alpha all this time. When Louis attempts to roll away Harry pins him down by his hips, prying the boy's legs apart to settle between. 

"Will you run away with me?" Harry looms over Louis, lining up their waists and hands. He wants everything of theirs to be in line with each other, matched to perfection. 

"Yes." Louis answers without a moment's hesitation. "But not now."

Harry let's the vibrations of the rumble in his chest to be shared with Louis. He gets annoyed with the clothing between them, the barriers that drove him to remember a bigger one that cost him his life's joy in the end. He wanted to walls between them, no restrictions. 

"Take it off." Harry instructs about Louis' shirt. 

"It's cold." Louis protests weakly. 

Harry mimics Louis' voice and words in a failed attempt, eliciting a loud cackle from him before smothering the magical sound with his own lips. He lifts Louis' shirt and tosses it aside, along with the jacket and scarf. Harry removed his own top and laid it out for Louis to lie on. 

"You smell....-" Harry trails the tip of his nose along Louis' neck and down his clavicle. 

"Like dust and ice?"

Harry chuckles and shakes his head. "Not at all, Lou."

"Do I....What about me is different?" 

Harry lays his head on Louis' tummy, where it was soft and fleshy just the right way. The baby hairs added a softer touch that felt so familiar. 

"You're the same. If you remember, you're still Lou from before just with a few more....years. You still smell like vanilla and cinnamon." Harry picked up his head to kiss Louis, their lips sliding perfectly into place together. "I wonder if you taste the same."

Harry rolls them over and Louis mewls, his breath hitching in his throat as he rolls his hips enticingly. Harry supports his waist, guiding the sweet rocking motions just right like they used to so many times before. Louis still knew what to do and what made Harry feel exceptionally good. 

The demon is so gentle, carefully dropping Louis onto his back and crawling over him with languid movements. Louis feels the metaphor that places himself as a deer and Harry as an obsessed predator, lies between them. It's seductive but sweet, hot and making Louis paw at Harry's remaining clothing desperately. 

"Lou." Harry wraps his arms around Louis' body, grinding his hips down harshly. "Oh baby. _Louis._ "

Louis rolls his head back, panting into Harry's ear and tugging on the luscious dark locks poking his cheek. He encircles Harry's waist with his legs, sneaking his hand down the smooth toned skin to scrape Harry's back and 

"Ah!" Louis cries out, breathless and arching his back beautifully, when Harry's hand glides across skin to between Louis' legs. 

Harry senses his lovely mate's hesitation when his deft fingers undo the boy's jeans and slips his hand under the tight waistband. Louis gasps and bucks up into Harry's touch. 

They make sweet, slow love on Harry's T-shirt in the middle of an impending snow storm. Louis cries out when Harry first enters him, never having been touched this way with this new body but wanting to cling to every ounce of memory he has to what they once did. What was once theirs to enjoy endlessly. 

Louis digs his nails into Harry's back when the demon starts thrusting, fighting the hot twisting knots in his abdomen to keep from slipping to into his true form and hurting Louis. He holds their lips together, breathing into each other's mouths heavily. Louis pushes Harry back and climbs onto his lap, sinking down on his erect length, hissing as the stretch pleases him. 

Although purely fictitious and nearly impossible, they feel their bond from before repair itself as Louis' body moulds with Harry's. They're too far apart even when they're chest-to-chest and lost to one another's love and lust. 

Louis' head rolls back between his shoulder blades where Harry's hand is splayed out, moaning incoherently as he's taken. Harry sinks his teeth into every spot of skin he finds available, recarving and reclaiming all that he's lost in a horrific flash. Louis' blood tastes just as sweet, and his skin stayed golden warm.   
The drag of Harry's bare erection inside Louis was intoxicating, contributing towards the heady feeling he was experiencing. He gripped Harry's shoulders where the tattoos were and muscles bulged. 

He felt Harry's hand on his thigh, squeezing the flesh and kneading his behind. It's been too long for them, a giant interval of agony between their time together. 

Harry allows Louis to drop back with half his upper body on the grass, the rest still on Harry's lap. The demon thrusted deeper and harder, enough for it to actually hurt Louis but the latter didn't seem to recognise that. He screamed and tears flowed down his cheeks, all expressing the emotions of a life this body never lived. 

"I love you." Harry chanted. "I love you _so fucking much_ , baby. I never want to lose you."

Louis blinked away the tears to gaze up at Harry, adoration flooding his expression, and leaned up on his elbows to kiss him. "I'll always be in love with you. You'll always be my Alpha."

Harry groaned at that, pressing his nails into Louis' flushed thigh and rounding his hips. Louis wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders, watching indiscreetly with his head against the demon's shoulder, how Harry fucked him. It wasn't fucking, never was. Even for a demon, Harry knew sex with his mate was special beyond what anyone could comprehend. 

Louis squeezed his eyes shut, heat pooling rapidly in his lower abdomen after seeing Harry's desperation. His body jerked with every thrust, getting deeper inside him and allowing an outline to form in his very low tummy. He was full, full of his Alpha and content. 

"Lou?" Harry rasped. 

"Hmm?" Louis bit his lip and fell back to let Harry use him. 

Harry definitely did. He held Louis' legs stretched apart and bucked animalistically into him, wanting them both to fall apart right now so they'd mate. He loved the sensation of Louis around him, tight heat enveloping his greedy manhood and wet walls accommodating him.   
He collapsed onto his forearms and felt Louis' own length throbbing between them, pulsing at the head and needing to release. 

"Need to mate you." Harry grunted, not slowing down and soaking up all the high-pitched sounds from Louis. 

He hated, despised, loathed the very idea that he had to remate the love of his life. Albeit it was only for physical means this time because Louis and Harry were bonded throughout the ages. Their bodies just needed to reconnect as their souls were forever twisted together. Their hearts needed to beat as one, their skin and hair should be familiar. 

"M-Mate me." Louis was hurting himself on the grass so Harry laced their fingers together. 

"Bend your knees, baby." Harry instructed. 

Louis lifted his legs and obeyed, immediately rewarded by a new angle that pounded against his prostrate. Nothing's ever felt this amazing to him before. He comes between them, marking them both up with white ropes. 

"True form." Louis managed to whisper breathlessly, blissed out and staring at the way Harry's hips slam into him. "Give me your true form."

Harry nodded his acknowledgement before loosing his control and letting his true form show. His length doubled side-by-side and Louis shrieked from the absurd stretch. The burn felt incredible and when he remembers doing this for the first time with Harry, he starts to cry. 

"Baby? Did I hear you?" Harry asks urgently, stilling his hips. 

"No." Louis wipes his eyes and shakes his head. "I'm okay. Feels good."

"Sure?" 

Louis nods and Harry continues his thrusting, finally spilling himself into Louis' tight body three thrusts later. He sighs and falls on top of Louis, mindful of the knot that binded them. Louis felt the steady flow of come fill him to capacity however still unable to leak out. 

Louis chews nervously on his puffy bottom lip. His eyes were red-rimmed and so tired, skin losing its light and his hair fell sadly across his forehead. The reminders, memories and all the emotions that flew in with those was becoming a lot for him to handle.   
He's waited his entire life for Harry to come scoop him up like a knight and now, upon earning that, learns that one day he'll die again as an old man. Harry won't leave him, either because he feels obligated - the thought makes Louis sick - or Harry will seriously never part with Louis again. 

Harry has been on guard for so long, looking about him to ensure everything was safe, that this one time he allowed himself to get sucked into another world where his precious mate and he were alone forever, he slipped up. He didn't sense or see the lurking presence by the bushes, born of the same breed as Harry.   
He decided to let them have their intimate moment - or moments rather - before entering the field of rainbow pastel coloured flowers. 

Harry smells him then, and is torn between his mate's current situation or protecting his mate. He growls threateningly when a shadow comes out from behind a thin tree trunk, positioning his body over Louis'. 

"Styles." The other demon's tone was bored and listless. "We haven't heard from you in a very long time."

"Look at me." Harry whispers to Louis, not wanting the vulnerable boy to see anything he shouldn't. 

"What are you here for?" Harry addresses the new arrival. 

" _He_ wants to see you." He tilts his head, the black damp leather-like skin creates an awful noise. 

Harry's ears prick and he finds this interesting. "Does he?"

"Indeed."

"I will come-" Harry glances down at Louis. "-later."

"He wants your mate too."

That gets Harry's blood pumping because no way was he going to allow Louis near that foul man. He bares his teeth in a defensive snarl. 

"I'm just the messenger, Possessor. But if you fail to comply, _He_ will come meet with both of you here."

Nobody would appreciate that. When Satan touched Earth, most things died and he always left something to remember him by. A plague, a monstrous creature, a devastating disaster. He shook the universe when he stepped on Earth. 

"Fine." Harry agrees. "We will come."

"I'm instructed not to leave without you both."

"Hazza?" Louis brushed Harry's cheek, using a tiny voice just in case Harry didn't want to answer him. 

Harry opened his mouth to answer the messenger but stopped to look at Louis under him, smiling involuntarily. "Yes, lovely?"

"Where does he want us to go?"

"We're going to Hell." Harry looked up at the messenger demon. "You better fucking turn around."

**_[A/N: Sooooo here the parts or separate 'episodes' begin :) hope u like it and pretty please vote/comment because feedback is love xx This is Your Silhouette (aka Chapter 26) and unfortunately there won't be an update for the rest of the week :( bc I'm swamped with exams and assessments but Animal might get one :) ily all - S xx]_ **


	27. Chapter 27

_I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"Are we there yet?" 

Louis' been obedient and respectful about Harry's wishes to stay close, but his enthusiasm towards visiting Hell - of all the worldly destinations - is unnerving to Harry. 

"Had I known you'd be so eager for this-" Harry pinches Louis' hip and pulls him back from walking too far ahead. "-I'd have handcuffed you to me."

"You still can." 

Louis points out respectively, letting Harry's wings encircle him entirely when they arrive at the six hundred and sixty sixth tree from Alaska's borderline in a town several hundred miles from Louis'. 

"I'm tempted but we don't have the time." Harry nudges Louis closer and closer until they're pressed together in a tight fit. "Listen to me now, Lou."

"Hmm?" Louis brings his palms - half the size of Harry's - to the demon's shoulders and holds onto the taut skin. 

"You _cannot_ leave my side no matter what." Harry, weaves an arm around Louis' slender hips and nudges him forward. "Don't get curious. Don't wander off. Don't speak to anyone except me. Don't look anyone in the eye."

"I promise." Louis zips his lips and Harry chuckles when he takes the imaginary key instead of letting it be tossed away. 

"Good." 

Harry looks up to see the messenger demon waiting for them and nods stiffly at him. 

"Look at me, Lou." Harry turns the boy's head away from watching the third member. "Kiss me."

Louis obliges and hides his hands at Harry's sides, the rest of his body shielded by Harry's guarded wings. 

"It's going to be hard to breathe there, okay?" Harry seems pained as he confessed this, swallowing a huge lump and a wary gleam in his eye. "I can't help that but you can't get worked up. It'll just be harder then."

"I'm fine, Hazza." Louis bumps their noses together and gets Harry to smile. 

There's a loud crack and Harry covers Louis' ears with his hands as they met in a sweet kiss again. 

"Big, strong Alpha." Louis giggles, moving Harry's ears from his face. "No need to worry.

"Because nothing's going to come near you." Harry drops his hands from Louis' shoulders to his waist. "I'll protect you to my end."

"Let's go!" The messenger demon shouted from somewhere behind Louis' back. 

Louis saw what it is they're entering. The cracking sound was the result of a massive break in the tree trunk. 

"Get on my back." Harry crouched and hoisted Louis onto his back. 

"What are we doing?" The smaller of the two clung to Harry's back, trying not to injure the demon's netted wings. 

"Climbing." 

For two experienced creatures of Hell, the climb was child play. They hardly used any time and when Louis thought they'd burst through the tree's peaking leaves, the branches parted to reveal a glaring orange path. The light was too strong, not meant for weak mortal eyes, and Louis hid in Harry's neck. 

"Lou?" 

"I'm okay."

Harry was feeling uneasy and had a bad feeling gathering in his chest. He pushed it aside in favour of caring for his mate - who now wore his mating bite once again. 

When the air started thinning, they were already on the endless ablaze path. Louis' lungs laboured and he was wheezing although forcing himself to stay quiet and calm for Harry.   
The air wasn't satisfying his lungs, it bit at his insides like the coldest chill and kept his breaths from being full. Louis' head started to spin but it was faint and he could handle it with his eyes closed. 

After a few seconds, the path ended and a brand door stood proudly before them. The messenger demon stood outside while Harry barged in, pulling Louis off his back and into his arms at the same time. 

"Shh. You're okay." Harry looked around, noticed the room was empty, and turned to Louis. 

Louis nodded, letting Harry grip his wrists like a vice and dragging on short breaths. His lungs were straining and his throat was closing up, like he would during an asthma attack. An inhaler wouldn't help him here. 

There was a large, well-decorated throne on the highest spot in the room. Every wall seemed to be melting but not getting ruined, the ceiling was the sun itself and everything was boiling hot. 

Louis couldn't keep his eyes shut any longer because his footing swayed and a clot was forming in his nostrils, forcing him to breathe through his mouth. He coughed regularly with each inhale.   
The task grew too painful, too much energy being used at once, and he crumbled to the dusty ground that burned like hot tar. He shrieked and Harry took him on his lap, dropping his temperature as a reflex to aid Louis' heated skin. 

"Fuck." Harry couldn't stay here and watch his boy die from the inside out. "We have to leave."

As he spread his wings and Louis' nose started dripping blood, another door opened. Harry ignored it but a voice too deep and revered spoke. 

"He'll be okay. Give him this." It was male, a scarily robotic echo and slightly high. 

Louis didn't get to see but Harry saw the bag tossed at him and caught it with the claw at his wing's end. He ripped open the end, ignoring the screw-on cap, and supports Louis' body with the other arm. 

"Drink." Harry's hand clasped Louis' thighs and kept them off the ground seeing as the boy couldn't do it for himself and the other held the velvet sack to Louis' lips. 

Watching all this with great interest, He who they had come to visit sat slowly on his chair. 

Louis couldn't swallow because of the taste and Harry kept up the kind whispers as encouragement. Eventually half the dose was swallowed and the other thrown up on the floor. Harry tore a bit of the cloth off Louis' jacket and cleaned him up. All the clothing he had on was going to throw his body into a spasmic heat stroke.   
Harry tore off Louis' boots and socks, along with his jacket and extra shirt. He stood with Louis calmer now, exhausted beyond normal cases but not in pain. 

"I wish we could do an open day here." When Satan spoke, all of Hell seemed to fall silent to listen closely. "So, you know, people see what they have to look forward to."

Harry knew He rambled, against all the conspired theories of Satan's strictness and cruelty. The demon cupped the back of Louis' head and brought him closer, hiding him from all this exposure. 

"I haven't seen you in a while, Possessor Harry." Lucifer himself gestured for Harry to come sit on the chair beside him. 

"I have a reason for that." Harry tucked Louis' feet between his legs and brushed his red cheek with a cool finger. 

"I can see. May I-"

"No." Harry growled, sharpened teeth bared and arms encircling Louis protectively. 

"Oh why do I even ask?" He sighed and kept to himself. 

"Why am I here now?"

"You know why."

"I don't."

"You can't fucking disappear for _years_ without contacting us, Harry."

"You didn't need me."

"You're the only other Possessor left. Until you procreate, I need to know you're not being a lovesick puppy bastard who's putting himself at risk."

"I'm not a reckless newborn." How could He doubt Harry's judgement?

"And that's exactly why you need to stay safe. The Zohrai people blame you for the ruin of their beautiful city, whoever the fuck they are."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Anything else?"

"You know you shouldn't have mated with him, Harry."

With a huff and annoyed sigh, Harry stood up. "I'm leaving."

With a wave of Lucifer's hand, all the doors turned to brick. Harry glared at him and set them back in place with his own hand. 

"Sit." Harry was instructed. "I'm not separating you from your mate."

"You couldn't if you wanted to." Harry scowled at the ground when he remembered the punishment he'd received. "Did you send men to exact a punishment?"

"Punishment?" Lucifer cackled uncontrollably. "We don't do punishment, Harry. You know that."

"Who was Menoxi?" Even the name burned Harry's tongue. 

"Oh." Sobering, Satan made Harry sit down again. "He never listened but if he did this, you may have your revenge."

"He's dead."

"Then kill his family, Harry."

"Excellent." Harry bares his lengthy canine in a smirk. 

Louis' body was weak and his mind too full to function, but he shifted into consciousness. Harry helped him sit up and kissed his lips as a welcome. 

"Does anything still hurt?" Harry couldn't detect anything from the outside, but he cupped the side of Louis' face and inspected him. 

"I'm okay." Louis knew who sat behind him, and he was suddenly petrified of facing him. 

He was in Hell. In _Hell_. All the atheists will probably hate him now. He's in the presence of Satan himself and sitting on a demon's lap with a throbbing headache. Wonderful. 

"No need to be afraid, little one." Harry sensed his mate's fear and sweetly kissed the mating bite that was still red and tender. 

"No harm will come to you." The third voice, belonging to a very powerful man with a strong timbre in his tone, says. 

Louis' found more courage in himself than he had since he spoke his first word, and turns in Harry's lap to look at who he never believed in before today. 

Lucifer was in his true form, and it was a more horrific state than Harry's. Louis hated looking at him, but somehow it was that the uglier the true form the more beautiful the creature. 

"Is that what Harry calls you, _"Little One."_?" Lucifer's melted gold eyes were pinned on Louis'. 

Louis nods, getting the message that Harry didn't mind him speaking now. "Sometimes."

Lucifer laughs, and Harry studies his mate with amused eyes. "Only sometimes does he choose to flatter you and make you blush?"

"Alright now. That's enough." Harry cuts across. "I don't need you turning my mate against me."

"Your little one clings to you. There is no turning him away." Lucifer rectifies. "And, do you wish to see Menoxi's family here?"

At the mention of that name, Louis gasps and tightens his fist in Harry's grip. 

"Yes. I must." Harry says coldly. 

"I'll tell them to bring him." 

Louis whined into Harry's neck, feeling very uncomfortable and saddened by the fruitfulness of their reunion being damaged by this wretched man. 

"Shh, pup." Harry cooes. "I have to do this."

"Don't get hurt." Louis squeezes his eyes shut when a door across from them opens. 

"Eh sun durin." Harry whispers into Louis' ear before setting him aside in the wide seat and standing. 

"I love you." Louis replies, using a tiny voice that Harry hears anyway. 

"Sit by me while your demon takes care of this." Lucifer interrupts their moment to hurry things along. "Won't be long now."

Louis curls up - he pictures himself as a lady bug - in a tight corner of the chair that's more of a throne. He let's his mind wander across time to what Harry's throne looked like back when he'd been painting crests.   
When the distance between Harry and the demons who brought in the guilty party, Louis felt a soft flutter on his hand. It felt like something crawling on him and when he glanced down he saw a tiny insect with minute red spots on its back. 

A lady bug. 

He looked from the animal to the lord of wrong-doers beside him, and got a discreet wink. Satan read his mind about the lady bug comparison, and now he has said insect keeping him company. 

"I hate people who keep questions to themselves." Lucifer speaks up. 

"I thought you hate all people." Louis replies simply. 

Chuckling, He replies. "That I do. Now watch."

Louis directs his attention to the scene unfolding in front of him. Harry had just gotten his hands on the Menoxi's family and Louis gets to document mentally the members present here. There was a woman, proud and portraying no sign of fear; a girl about Louis' age with onyx eyes and a golden tuft of hair. Then there was the baby, all bundled up in his mother's arms with tall clothing and not crying. 

When Louis sat up straighter, Lucifer noticed and smiled secretly. Louis curled his fingers to provide a suitable playground for the wandering lady bug, but his gaze was fixed upon the family and their newborn. 

"Taking my mate was not enough for you, Possessor?" The eldest woman spoke up, glare set on Harry's back as he circled them.

"He took mine." Harry snapped, the tips of his fingers elongating to talons. 

"You have him again."

"And that bastard will return as well." Harry had a sickening smirk on his face that made Louis squirm in his seat. "Except he won't get the chance to mate again."

"What-"

Harry held his arm out, palm to the sky - Louis' still debating on whether they're actually as high up as the tree's top - and a black flame was produced from his scaly skin. 

"He loves that." Lucifer sat back, sighing in a bored exhale.

"Pardon?" Louis pries his eyes away from the horror to his companion - the company of Satan, who knew? - and bites his lip. 

"The power of a black flame is limitless. He created it." Lucifer snaps his index finger and thumb, creating a small fire between them for Louis to see. 

"What makes it special?"

"Watch, Harry's little one."

There was a blinding flash that had Louis blocking his eyes with his hand, mindful of the tiny creature perched on his wrist. He watched, as instructed, when Harry blew the flames towards each person as if he were passing around air kisses. 

Louis' heart went out to the baby because why did he deserve this fate? He didn't leave, get the chance to sin or be righteous. It wasn't _fair._ Menoxi did an unforgiveable thing, that sickened Louis to the very base of his soul but a baby shouldn't be involved here. 

"What's good for the elders is good for the infant." Louis is told when the screaming commences, mixed with the helpless wailing of a baby boy. 

"But he's done nothing wrong." Louis sees the mother fall and the baby's dropped to the ground, soon to be engulfed by the fire. 

"Who will care for him with his family dead?"

"I....I-"

"Not you. Your mate is of a thoroughbred race of demons. If it is not his child, he will not tolerate it."

"Harry-"

"Yes, him."

Louis covered his ears, clamping his sweaty palms down over his ears to block out the shrieks and screeches of one too innocent, too vague in imagination to have thoughts. He feels the sensation gliding down the inside of his forearm of a crawling bug trying to escape his huffing breaths. There's a pinch near his elbow that spreads and makes him hiss softly. 

"Ow." He mutters under his breath, removing his hands to examine the pain. 

"Try not to hide from reality, Louis." Lucifer says after a short while. "There are some things that will follow you in haunting if you do."

Then he's gone and Louis' alone - even the bug disappears - when he notices a little red lump near the dry skin of his elbow. He doesn't get time to frown at it because Harry comes to collect him, now that the issue has been taken care off and the remains of charred suspects have been removed. Louis won't let himself think about it. 

"Where is He?" Harry asks him. 

Shrugging with a red, moist lip from so much biting, Louis let's Harry pick him up. 

"Here." Comes the reply of a voice Louis hopes to be free of soon. "Well done with all the theatrics, Harry. However-"

Harry groans and steadies himself with Louis wrapped around him, the heavy wings shielding the tired boy. 

"-you must do what you were made to do. You were born with a purpose and if you don't contribute towards what you must, you understand the consequences."

The consequences were exile or death. Most chose exile but that only led to death when their powers, pride and supernatural capabilities were stripped off them. 

Harry nods in consent and bows very slightly since Louis' form was still in his arms and quickly becoming more sluggish. "I will do what I can."

"Good. Go now, you've tired me out." Harry gets dismissed and the demon feels disrepected but that's not his top priority. "Give him my love when he wakes up again."

However arrogant Satan may be, Harry still has to respect him in spite of the mutual hatred shared between them. Harry was indebted to Lucifer, as he was gifted as a Possessor and could not argue with him. Harry was given all that power, at such a price.   
To please Lucifer, Harry had to return to what he'd left behind for Louis' hand. He had to take souls, make people suffer, whisper in their ears without sitting on their shoulders, and drive them to insanity. Drive them towards the brink of a human's end. 

Harry left in half the time it took to travel to Hell. He wanted Louis back where the atmosphere was compatible with him. When the tree was descended and the snowy landscape of Alaska's friendly towns were back in sight, Harry sat on the spot and tried to wake Louis up. 

"Lou." He pressed his human hand to Louis' chest and felt the rhythm of a strong but rapid heartbeat. 

Louis didn't stir and Harry figured he needed to rest for a good while before he was rejuvenated enough. He knew where Louis stayed because of trying to find him so desperately, so he rose to his feet and stretched his wings until the blades brushed the aged bark of trees. The invincible bone holding the structure together snaps in a definitive row. 

The wind blowing around them turns into a circular hurricane when Harry's wings broke the air into flight. He hovered above the tree tops for a while, picking out the way to go after entering a thicket so large and intricate. The town is but three miles away and Harry covers that distance before Louis can protest because of the cold. 

Louis' home is a neat little abode in the only suburb around this Alaskan town. Harry doesn't need doors or windows to enter, even though he's carrying Louis in his arms.   
Once inside Louis' room, very different from the rooms Louis' had before, Harry sets him down on the bed and fetches a wet flannel to clean him up. Not stirring or making a sound, Louis slept peacefully. 

Harry laid down beside him when he was done, ensuring Louis stayed away from the corners and was comfortable. Downstairs the door opened, and Harry woke up to stand by the door if anyone should walk in. He caught the sound of approaching footsteps and remembering what He said - the supremely evil being who asked that he not forsake his duties - Harry vanished when the room door creaked open. 

Louis' dad entered, saw Louis asleep on his bed like nothing was different about today. He checked on the balcony window, and after finding it open he latched it. All this while, Harry clung to the ceiling with his hands digging the plaster.   
After Chris kissed his son's forehead and left, Harry made the door close soundly behind upon his departure. 

"Did he see you?" Louis was awake, and well aware that Harry was looming about. 

Smirking, Harry jumped down noiselessly and came to his side. "Nobody can see me."

"But I saw you."

Harry kissed Louis' forehead to remove the trace of another person. "Because my senses are attuned to your every act, just as yours are to mine."

"That's.....-" 

Louis' thoughts are lost when the bed sinks then inflates further under him, suspiciously curving to Harry's shape. He gasps when he sees that he's laying on Harry's firm torso rather than the mattress. 

"That's?" Harry raises an eyebrow. 

"Show off." Louis sets his forehead against Harry's. Their temples, eyes, noses and mouths were aligned almost perfectly.

"That's ridiculous." 

Harry licks his lips and the tip of his tongue grazes Louis' lips, leading to the younger youth's gasp and attempt to roll away. Harry holds him still by squeezing his behind through his jeans. 

"Hazza?" Louis plays with a strand of Harry's shoulder-length hair. 

" _Derde Sun._ Yes, my love?" Harry's mother tongue still slipped out but he never oversaw the responsibility to Louis of translating. 

"Um....H-He said that...you-" Louis mentally told himself off for not being clear and stammering. "-...you won't care for a child that wasn't yours."

Harry felt stiff as a pole under Louis now, cold enough in temperature to make Louis sneeze thrice. He was thinking back to when Louis had said he couldn't have children, but there was a possibility of doing something. Now, Louis was mortal and an heir for Harry is virtually impossible. 

"I won't." Harry answered, rolling over to his side and ending this conversation. He holds Louis tightly but there was no kissing of his neck or cheek. 

Louis knows he shouldn't have asked, that he somehow questioned Harry's breeding by doing so. He didn't mean to but he really was curious. 

"I'm sorry, Harry." Louis whispered quietly. "I was stupid to ask that."

He's being pushed onto his back and finds Harry already above him, stern look in his eye and lips curved in a thin line. 

"You're _not_ stupid." He lessens the threat of his position by dropping his his forearms. "It was just a question and I know why you asked. I'm.....it's _fine_ that we can't have babies."

"Not together."

"What?"

"Harry, if you want to-"

"Don't. Don't you dare fucking suggest I fuck someone else just to have a child." Harry was seething about this, since he found a Mate when he was looking for a Carrier and now that he's Mated he can't go back on the hunt. 

"But if it's what you want, I won't object." 

"It's not what I want."

"You're lying."

Harry sighs and let's his head hang between his shoulders, before his anger disipitates and he nuzzles Louis' neck for the warm scent he longs for always. 

"Haz." Louis spoke softly, combing through Harry's hair with his fingers. "This is something you need and I can't give you."

"I don't need anything-" Harry's arms sneak around Louis' middle and he fits their bodies together. "-but you."

"You'll resent me."

"You're forgetting something." Harry's voice may be muffled by Louis' skin but Louis hears every word clearly in his head. "We're soul mates. We were made for each other by whoever created us both, and no matter what we will have each other."

"I'm going to die one day." Louis wants to cry thinking about it, about leaving his Mate forever. "I won't come back again."

"Shh." Harry parts Louis' legs and slots himself between them. "That's not happening. I'll find a way to make it better."

"But Harry-" Louis sits up when Harry pulls him onto his lap. "-I don't want to live forever."

Harry doesn't answer him immediately, but the notion doesn't offend Louis because he knows Harry's thinking. He chooses a chunk of Harry's soft, lovely-to-touch hair and starts braiding it. Harry kisses his hands before he starts and goes for Louis' hips. 

Louis was trying to help, but Harry would never touch another person the way he touches his Louis. If he couldn't impregnate Louis and have a son with his Mate that wouldn't fall under the category of children that Carriers produced, he didn't want offspring. 

Needing that warmth and safety again, Harry pulled Louis' hands away from his hair and embraced him tightly. The demon sunk his teeth into the side of Louis' neck and traced a symbol there with his tongue. The air from Louis' lungs vanished and he sagged against Harry's chest. 

"I love you." Harry mouthed against the new bite. "You're _mine._."

"I love you too." Louis ignorantly bent his neck to allow Harry better access. 

"Say it." Harry rubbed circles on Louis' lower back. "Say you're mine."

"I'm yours." Louis spoke and Harry smothered him words with a sharp, breathless kiss. "Yours only."

Where Harry's tongue left a damp trace between the bloody indents of a bite, the sign of an upside-down cross appeared on Louis' skin before hiding itself.

**_[A/N: Ta Daaaaaaaaaaa *jazz hands* I'm so sorry this update was shit and took a while! My phones were confiscated and I had no way of writing until my mother got 'em back. My school is evil, hypocritical, warped, sexist and plain idiotic. Spread the word.]_ **


	28. Chapter 28

_**[A/N: Something a bit gross in here - or at least to some people - but I had to do it lol. Soooo.....I didn't get the highest for my narrative essay.....lol I'm weird. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: Arsenal has been playing so incredibly well O.o got through MUFC for the quarter finals on Mondayyy. Um! I know I said there'll be separate parts but Wattpad's giving me grief with posting super long pieces (I post from my phone and the tab keeps closing) so let's just see where it goes. - S xx]** _

_Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry is selfish and cruel. He knows it and there's no changing that now. In the instant that he realised that there's possibly a solution to the problem of Louis and him never having children, he didn't ask but acted. He placed the permanent mark of a Carrier - the sloppy bite with an upside-down cross - on Louis' otherwise unmarked neck. 

Now, while Louis slept, Harry was wallowing in regret. He wasn't allowed to wallow for long though. He held Louis against his chest and traced the reversed symbol of Christianity white a blunt nail and Louis breathed calmly. Harry was envious of a human's ability to sleep with a smile on their face. 

He couldn't extract the mark, it couldn't be removed or passed on by mutual agreement. Now that Louis carried the mark, he had to stay with it. It would give him fertility as a woman as soon as Harry whispered the curse in his ear. It was never a blessing to carry a demon's child. Except, Harry didn't plan to impregnate Louis while he was a demon. He hoped to use all the favours he had left to let Satan banish him, abandon him in exile. He'd lose his powers and be able to live as a mortal, while Louis could then have his children and not experience incredible pain. 

He had to ask Louis, _should_ have already asked before sinking his teeth into the boy's warm pulse. With a sigh, Harry decides that there's no point in asking because Louis _had_ to have the conversion or he'd suffer dire consequences. 

Louis' dreams of nothing special, suddenly take a turn for the worst. Harry's saying something in his ear but he can't make out any words because it's not English. He can't wake up because he's paralysed in this state of slumber, still able to writhe and squirm in a series of weak efforts to get away.   
He groans and arches his back into Harry, wanting safety but only getting tighter arms around him as Harry finishes whispering the dark prayer into his ear. 

Inside him, Louis' body was changing and it was _painful._ His nose was blocked and he couldn't breathe through it anymore, with each inhale his lungs expanded to push away something attaching to Louis' walls and caused severe jabs of shock. He'd gasp in his nightmare, waking up there constantly in bed with every intimate fear he knows.   
In his head, Louis' tearing his hair out and screaming because _why wasn't it ending?!_

Harry had a flat palm on Louis' tummy, feeling how his innards made way for something new. He pressed down with the heel of his palm, nudging things into the _just right_ positions while his other arm was wound around Louis' chest. He needed Louis to breathe because it was so easy to forget whilst experiencing excruciating pangs of physical torture.   
He forced Louis' lips apart and pressed his mouth to his, blowing strength into Louis' shivering and sweating form. Harry wasn't an angel and his strength offered was temporary, unable to carry Louis through fully. 

When Harry extended his hand, a flickering futuristic image of Louis' expanded image pitched up. It was a moment long before, like an elasticated stretch, it snaps back into place and Harry feels Louis sag. His body has wasted its energy and now he needed rest before waking up to eat and rest some more.   
Harry had to have a plan. He needed certain things and had to have an idea of how he's going to get them lined up. 

First, Louis and he couldn't live here in Alaska. They needed to move away to where nobody could find them. The mountains maybe. Switzerland? Or maybe Ireland?  
Second, Harry had to find a way to get them out without people following them. Louis had a family here, blood family who still believe in ghosts and Lochness.   
Third, he had to convince Louis himself. That would undoubtedly be the hardest task. 

He had money, enough to last them twenty lifetimes, so he needed to go through with the third challenge before buying land somewhere out there in the abyss this world provided. 

When Louis stirred for the first time, it was lazy and exhausted. He could hardly roll onto his side even when he tried in his sleep, so Harry aided him. The wetness at the back of Louis' underwear started becoming more noticeable when Harry heard a squelch between them.   
He smelt it, as he had before, and stiffened. Nostrils flared and eyes turning to slits, Harry gently lay Louis face-down on the mattress before pulling away the comforter. 

He should have sensed it - _smelt its glory_ \- earlier because now Harry's own person is stained red, the sheets are no better off. Harry hasn't fed in so long, and only managed to hunt the occasional predator as he searched for Louis. Yet here Louis was, his body's healing process almost complete as he bleeds through his pants. 

Thinking fast, Harry already knows this house has no Dispirin - to thin the blood and cause no hurt to Louis - so he goes out and buys two packs from the drug store, with a basket of pad choices - he doesn't know whether this even works as a girl's period does - and a rose. The rose was a spontaneous idea as the store next to the drug store was just opening and has white labrador pups with roses on their collars. Harry's not all that excited about bringing the actual pup to Louis because the old female owner wouldn't let him leave without it. 

After all that's happened in the past twenty-four hours, Harry didn't feel like killing anyone either. At least not where it's instantaneous. As an alternative, he drops the dog and freezes her heart for a moment, causing it to skip a beat and put a few air bubbles in her circulatory system. It's more painful, but if she gets to the hospital in time she could live. 

When he leaves the little corner shop, the puppy dutifully follows behind him. He growls and it whines like a stubborn brat. 

He gets back to Louis' room and drops the bags on his study table. Taking a strip of Dispirin and a bottle of water, Harry goes to wake Louis up. The smell of blood is pungent and driving Harry mad with temptation but he chooses to ignore any burn in his desire and take care of his mate first. 

"Lou?" He set the items down and shook Louis' shoulder ever so slightly. "Wake up, lovely."

There's no energy to groan so Louis just huffs with his mouth closed. 

"I need you to wake up please." Harry is both troubled and concerned so he isn't sure how he sounds. "Just for a second."

He gets a weak mumble as a response and to any human ear, it was inaudible. Harry hears him clearly though. 

"I know you're tired." Harry bites his bottom lip and kneels by Louis' head. "I know and I'm sorry but after we take care of this you ca-"

Louis mumbles again, this time cutting off Harry's sentence. His lips hardly move and Harry can hear the strain in his heart. 

"What's that?" Harry asks, caressing Louis' cheek lovingly. 

"T'loud." Louis says it in a single short breath, tiring himself by mere speech. 

"Too loud?" Harry lowers his voice as much as he can. "I'm sorry, kitten, but can you please do this for me?"

Louis sounds like a person releasing their last breath when he gives his consent. He wants to tell Harry that he's not moving at all and the demon has to do all the work, but that seems like too long a statement.   
The boy cringes with closed eyes when his leg twitches and he feels a lot of gathered moisture between his thighs.

"Open your mouth, _derde sun._ " Harry watches Louis' dry lips separate. He puts the two tablets on Louis' tongue and holds the rim of the water bottle to his lips. "Swallow please for me, my love."

Louis obliges and gets rewarded with the most chaste kiss he's shared with Harry - inclusive of all lifetimes - right on his mouths where traces of the bitter, acidic medication still lingered like scattered white powder. 

He moans in a high pitch, the sensational noise melting into a whimper when a harsh tug catches on his abdomen. Harry doesn't like to panic and so he doesn't, but Louis is now sweating profusely from all his pores and his pants were soaked through. He was running worst case scenarios through his head as he cursed at himself for feeling more temptation than trepidation. 

He wanted to help Louis more than he wanted to own a spot in this universe, but he _needed_ to sink his teeth into something warm and fleshy preferably with blood tasting as honey-like as Louis'. Trying to justify his irrational response, he convinces himself that he won't take _more than a sip._

His tongue darts out and wets the upper and lower cushions of his mouths, preparing his palate for the most divine rush of taste.   
There's a half-yap, half-growl from where Harry dumped the shopping bags. The pup, that he fully intends to _fucking murder_ once he's taken care of this burn and Louis' condition. 

"I need to do this." Harry says out loud, knowing that Louis heard him. 

The boy's face scrunches up, but more at Harry's loud voice than what his words actually meant. 

"I'm so sorry, my little one." Harry strips off his shirt and takes one of Louis' ankles in each one. 

He continues to apologise, even when Louis' fallen back to sleep still in the middle of the mess consisting of his own bodily fluids. Harry pulls of Louis' bottoms and bites his lip as he tries to separate the fabric from where the blood has matted after drying. 

"I love you." Harry kisses up Louis' tummy, dipping his tongue in Louis' navel and stealing all of the sweet scent from him. 

The demon's nostrils flare as his gums accommodate the expansion of his molars, allowing them to sharpen to dangerous points. 

There are tiny crusted bits on Louis' skin, some sill damp and others on their way to drying. Harry inhales deeply as he noses at the inside of Louis' thighs, licking the reddened islands and moaning at the sweet taste. Louis' own conscience has drifted back off to sleep, trying to roll on his side but Harry keeps him firmly in place. 

"Still, kitten." Harry kisses the skin he's been staring at, worshipping forever, and leaves a little damp spot in his wake. "Be still."

He was truly speaking to nobody of the human species but himself. If that. His eyes were ugly glowing green slits like a lizard's eye, the unmistakable razor tips of his teeth peeking out from between his teeth. He was still puzzled by this phenomenon and how it worked with Louis specifically.   
To answer his own question, Harry placed a flat palm on Louis' tummy and closed his eyes. He saw it all then. The ruptured tissue beginning to heal, the new additions to Louis' anatomy as they get stuck to his walls and fight for space. That was the source of Louis' agony, the internal battle within him. The cause of the bleeding, was only to happen now as Louis' body was revamped and being cleansed. 

Planting a soft kiss to Louis' pudge - still there no matter the year and generation - Harry spreads the boy's legs and rubs his thigh when Louis starts to grumble. 

Feeling not an ounce of regret or disgust at himself, Harry lowers his lips to where Louis once leaked slick. This was better to him, because as much as he positively _loved_ Louis' slick, his blood was a million times sweeter. It ran down Harry's throat like the smoothest honey and coolest milk, feeding his most hideous desires. 

With no more hesitation, and a soft irritated growl, Harry attaches his mouth to where Louis is most exposed. He simply waits, patiently awaiting the first drop to freely drip out. It does and then there's a second, third and fourth.   
Harry's rationale is blinded and he moans at the humble taste, lifting Louis' hips and even sinking blunt molars into the flesh around Louis' puffy rim. He didn't want to waste any of Louis' essence. 

Louis began to sweat and thrash about, gripping the sheets in his sleep when his head started throbbing and his body twitched. He moaned and whined, going unheard by a persistent Harry who threw Louis' legs over his shoulders and pulled his cheeks apart to get better access.   
He sucked and got greedy enough to bite harshly, leaving teeth marks around Louis' swollen entrance. He'd gotten stubborn and when the blood ceased its flow, Harry began to cause several gateways to receive more. 

He fell into his true form, wings fanning out over Louis' legs and jaw tightening as he worked harder. It wasn't as if he was taking when he shouldn't be, he was merely sipping from the surface. In his head, that is. 

That's why, Louis' body was ready to kick into action again without further immediate blood loss, Harry got aggravated. His lips and a bit of his chin were messed, stained a vivid maroon after all that had happened. He called it reassurance when he slipped a finger into Louis, being gentle about rubbing his way around and seeking more sustenance.   
When none came, he realized that this was supposed to be a good thing and immediately extracted his finger for fear of hurting Louis. Like a white revelation, Harry instantly hated himself for his greed and cruelty towards his mate. _How could he let that happen?_

"Lou?" Harry ensures that his face is clear of bloodiness when he hovers over the boy. "I need to clean up now, can you wake up please?"

Louis doesn't stir and Harry puts his ear to the boy's chest, hearing the thumping of a strong heartbeat that's slowing down. From the beating of a monstrous drum it became the string of a broken guitar, and Harry knew it wouldn't be good if Louis experienced added strain. 

Harry thought about why Louis was having such a difficult time with this transformation.   
He was mortal, which is evident and heartbreaking. Harry also didn't immediately get him knocked up, so his body couldn't work twice as hard and due to its slow pace, Louis' energy levels were depleted. 

Harry tries to rouse Louis one more time, standing up beside the bed and picking him up. Louis awakens with a start and grabs hold on Harry's shoulders weakly, only half his mind with him at the moment. 

"Stay awake now, kitten." Harry adds a tiny trace of roughness to his touch now, needing Louis to stay conscious more than anything. "You need to heal and you'll do so faster if you're awake."

Harry could almost _feel_ the sagging membranes in Louis' little body, his temperature stagnant on an unhealthy minimum. Where Harry had consumed his blood, Louis' body was battling to recuperate. It would take half the time if Louis was impregnated already with a demon child that would rip him open during birth. 

"Louis." The demon sighs, setting brushing Louis' head off his shoulder when the boy tried to rest. 

Louis flinched because of the accidental knot and made a small protesting whine from his throat. He didn't want to try again, lest Harry repeat the deed, so he kept his eyes half-lidded and staring at how slowly the shower's water heated up. 

"There was a song my mother would sing to me-" Harry couldn't set Louis on his feet so he continued to support him. "-when I was an infant. Do you know why I made sure to learn it?"

Louis cautiously put his chin on Harry's shoulder but kept his attention on the demon so he wouldn't get shoved off again. 

His throat was like sandpaper and it hurt to release even a croak. "Why?"

"So I could sing it to you, of course." Harry smiled in a small way. "Do you want to hear it?"

Louis nodded and his eyes closed for one last time, senses still alive but his eyelids unable to lift again. He couldn't fight the heaviness anymore so he decided after he had this quick nap he'd explain himself to Harry. It was a mystery to him why he was suddenly engulfed in the wrath of pain, incurable probably and sinister. 

Harry found Louis asleep on his shoulder and gave up trying to entertain him. He knew the exhaustion was unbeatable and undeniable, that no Carrier's gotten through it without sleeping for approximately seventeen hours.   
So after cleaning Louis up with an express decision to never admit afterwards that he put the handle claws at the edge of wings to more use than necessary, he laid the sleeping boy down on a clean bed. 

Not able to venture far off, Harry sat beside him, sometimes resting with his face buried on Louis' warm tummy that smelt of warm things and _home._

It all went to waste when Louis' visitors arrived. 

The boy didn't know about a surprise visit his aunt and grandmother would be making, as his father knew Louis loved the thrill of a surprise. Louis was lost in an empty sleep while his Momo - a name he's called his grandmother since he spoke it as his first word - was helped up the stairs. They were always so close, so of course she got the room across the hall from his. 

Louis and his Momo were the relatives of their family tree that looked most alike. She was a beautiful woman in her day, with long raven locks and striking blue eyes that have lightened to the day Louis was born. Their skins were soft and supple with fine hairs from their baby days. 

She didn't knock - she never did because Louis never got upset when they barged in - and Harry had just enough time to hide behind the curtains of disguise. He sealed his lips and faded into the afternoon's dullness as she rounded the door's barrier with a tight chest. 

_It didn't feel right._ Not to Momo. 

"Lou-bear?" She sat on his bed, nose scrunched up and deep frown set on her face. 

The room reeked and only her nose picked it up. It's why she objected to her daughter marrying Chris, because they were of a traditional lineage with a powerful heritage. Chris was pretty ordinary and born in Vancouver, Canada. Chris possessed none of the gifts she had, but just _maybe_ Louis got some from their dominant genes. 

Harry hissed as he felt the sting and immediately left Louis' room. It had hurt too much, burned his Possessor presence like an insect on hot coal. What did that old crow have? He wondered but didn't have time to answer as he was shoved away from Louis, his little one.   
He couldn't guard Louis like this, from outside where he could not see or do anything, so in a rash decision he flashed back into Louis' room against the heated prickle and intensifying scorch. 

Momo sat by Louis' hip, rubbing his warm back and singing something Harry recognised all too well. He couldn't cling to walls and hide any longer, not if he wanted to stop her from reciting such a hymn. Without second thoughts, Harry forced himself to materialise and switched off the part of him that responded to pain; the pain caused by a too bright flame. 

He stood by Louis' closet, fists clenched and human form flickering from the effort he has to put in. This woman was old and too wise for her own good. She was an Elderly probably - a term creatures of Hell used to describe people with the knowledge of their world - and was chanting this near Louis to protect him. 

_Fuck this_ , he thought. "Stop that." 

His bark was loud and forceful, immediately causing the female's lips to pause and her neck to crane. 

"Who are you?" She wasn't afraid and she didn't scream. 

Maybe she wasn't an Elderly, just stupid. 

"I know _what_ you are." She repeats, facing him with an impassive look. "Now, why are you here?"

Harry raised his chin and relaxed his hands now that the restriction was away. He made sure she was looking at him, in the eye, before he let his green forests melt into silver slits and smirked at her gasp. 

Her automatic reaction was to reach out to her grandson, still asleep and ignorant, to check on him. 

"Don't touch him." Harry snarled. 

"You don't claim humans, demon." She spat, unafraid but wavering in her voice. 

"We breed from their wombs." Harry shrugs. He wasn't lying but of course that wasn't the case here. Not entirely. 

"Is that what you're doing with my grandson?" She looks not all that baffled, but greatly angered. "He's just-"

"Mine." Harry was too proud a creature to justify himself. 

Her hand went to her chest as she inhaled sharply, and Harry cackled wildly when he sees her frail fingers wrap around a cross necklace. 

"You think it'll save you?" He puts the image of silver reversed crosses in his eyes. "God isn't all powerful, bitch. We wouldn't exist if he was."

To add to her horror, Harry sends her flashes of memories from the meadow where he'd physically mated Louis. He knew it would be revolting to her. 

"No!" She screamed, and suddenly heavy steps were headed their way. "Leave Louis alone!"

The door flew open at that moment and Harry disappeared in time for Chris to look at the old woman with a grave look of exasperation. She ignores him when he questions her, and refuses to go for dinner in favour of being there when Louis woke up. He wouldn't be doing that until tomorrow around lunch time. 

Chris left the door open this time when he left and took their dog back downstairs. The labrador had been rolling around behind the curtains and went unnoticed for all this time.   
Momo took off her cross necklace - she was old and had a foot in the grave, he needed it more now - and tightened the clasp around Louis' cold neck. 

She touched his forehead to test his temperature, and got shocked by the memories of everytime Harry kissed that part of the boy. Disgusted, Momo retrieves a cloth from Louis' bathroom and blows thrice on it after the recitation of an age old prayer in Latin, before wiping Louis' forehead with it. 

"You _fucking bitch._ " Comes the deep echoing curse of Louis' demon. 

Harry grabs her hand and snaps her wrist, already so used and prone to arthritis that it breaks easily. He was livid now that he's witnessed her physically try to remove his memory from Louis, his touches and affections. 

"This will never heal." He holds her injured hand and squeezes, until he can feel no bone in place and her piercing howl of agony fills the air. "And three months from now a bone splinter they won't find today will puncture your lung." He kept his eyes locked with hers, completing his curse. "You will be alone in your room while everyone is out and you'll lie on the floor _bleeding everywhere_ until someone finds you two hours later."

There was fear now in her eyes, but Harry thrived on emotions as such. It made him proud and accomplished to see a victim so afraid. It was almost as beautiful as Louis. 

"Please spare him." She was still pleading for Louis' life when the person himself was fine with how things were going. "He's innocent and shouldn't be harmed."

"I'm not harming him." Harry was all of a sudden beside Louis, growling at the silver chain but ignoring it to pull Louis' shirt collar aside. "He is _mine_ to protect now. Mine. Don't you understand that, you old whore? Stop trying to intervene when it isn't for you to mind."

Disregarding the insults and glaring powerfully at Harry, Louis' Momo examines the bite mark in awe and disgust. When she tries to touch it, Harry pushes her off and removes the numbing sensation he placed over her broken wrist. She can feel every stitch of pain now clearer than ever, especially with her weak age and vulnerable immunity. 

Chris comes barelling through the door once again, this time with a look of pure irritation in his eye as he inspects the situation. "What now, Momo?"

"H-Hos-" She's shivering from the shock and instability of such a violent injury. "Hospital."

Chris rushes her to the little clinic in the middle of town where everything important was. They bandage her up and she's more antsy to get home than hear what the doctor says. 

Harry ignored the futile attempt Momo had made to keep him away from Louis, and sidles up right next to the sleeping boy. He rubs Louis' back, traces designs on his skin and combs through his feathery hair with his nimble fingers. Louis could be dead to the word, as he doesn't move except to breathe and doesn't toss or turn. 

Spitefully, Harry rips the cross necklace off Louis' neck and grits his teeth at the throb that starts to build in his palm. Demons may not be affected by crosses and all things holy, but they still couldn't physically touch any of it. The pup that Harry was was practically blackmailed into taking home, starts to whine from hunger at the foot of the bed. 

"Fucking shut _up!_ " Harry bellows, causing the animal to growl quietly back at him. 

Harry lost his temper at that, the lid that was maintaining whatever restraint he had left blowing off. He hurled the cross at the beast, listening to its injured whimper before silence takes over the room again.   
Louis' actual dog, Sparky the bastard pup, was roaming around outside getting muddy and splinters in his paws that Louis would have to remove. 

Harry shifts to move Louis' now, turn him onto his side so one half didn't fall asleep. The boy could easily roll off the bed so Harry crawled up behind him and supported him. He heard the front door unlocking and heavy booted steps walking in. There's fighting, two raised voices of opposite genders.   
Then the footsteps are ascending the staircase in a mad dash, Harry can physically envision them doing so. 

They're coming for Louis' closed room door, charging forward with a fuming father and venting grandmother. Harry chuckled as he deciphered just how crazy that old bat will come across being when they don't find him. 

Or maybe they should. 

Harry plays with the idea of letting them find him, obviously expertly avoiding any suspicion that he was anything but human. Seemed simple enough. It would be easier when he took Louis far, far away from all this. With this in mind and Louis nestled in his caging arms, Harry wills himself to stay put when the door swings open and the two inspectors step through. 

**_[A/N: Bit of blasphemy in this chapterrrr. Please: no hate if you're very religious. I'm not since I don't follow a religion - I'm not atheist, folks - so please don't try doing/saying anything mean. Alsoooo we're at that point in my stories where we start closing up. Don't worry we still have a good couple of chapters, but no more than ten definitely. I'm gonna miss writing this but I hate dragging out a story and boring you people into leaving. Big, big loveeeee - Sxx ]_ **


	29. Chapter 29

_People have no idea how beautiful the darkness is._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"There's nothing here, Momo. Stop calling me to look at bloody nothing." Chris exhales tiredly, hand coursing through his dry and lifeless hair. "You'll wake Louis up too."

"He needs to wake up!" She argues, urgency crisp in her voice as he glances around the empty room. No demon. 

"Alright, enough." He calmly drapes an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, have a cup of tea."

"Christopher, I'm telling you that-"

"Louis is fine. You're fine. I'm fine. There is _nobody_ in danger." He says sternly. "There'll be no more on this conversation."

"Chris-"

"You're here for Louis but I won't think twice about carting you back home. You're going to stay here and be a _normal_ grandmother to him because that's what he needs. No ghost stories." He sits her down in the living room with finality. 

She has no option but to surrender for now, but clearly planning on picking up again soon. Her instincts couldn't allow for things to go terribly wrong, especially now that her only grandson was at risk. That demon had to get out of his life, whatever the reason for his stay was needed terminating. 

Harry settled back into bed beside Louis, after a split decision to disappear when the older people were about to discover him. He didn't see a fine outcome from that brash decision, and didn't want to risk anything at this point. 

Momo didn't come into Louis' room again until way past midnight, when the sun was just peeking in past the hills of melted snow. It would offer no warmth though, just radiant energy in the form of light. 

She wiped Louis' forehead with a damp cloth and heard him grumble something weakly. Not thinking about why the room suspiciously smelt of bleach and where the demon had gone, she sits down next to the still sleeping boy. 

"What's happened to you, Loubear?" She smiles when his fingers fist her sleeping gown. 

The cross necklace is on the bedside table, half of it stained in warm blood that dripped onto the varnished oak surface. 

She wiped it clean and kissed the center gently. "Protect him."

"You're really a stubborn old hag, aren't you?" Comes a disembodied echo, firm and disconcerting as the owner could be greatly unnerved. 

"If you're mated to my Louis, it would do you good to respect me." She spits back at the supposedly vile creature standing by Louis' curtains with curled extended fingers. 

"I've never respected anyone besides him. That's not going to change."

"Did you hurt him?"

"No."

"Then why won't he wake up?" She glares at the demon, aged blue eyes narrowing on his slitted silver ones. "What did you _do_ -"

"I didn't fucking _do anything!_ " He shouts, lungs easily drowning out hers. 

"If he was okay, he wouldn't be asleep for so long, now would he?" She antagonises, and the movement of her fingers through Louis' hair is aggravating Harry. 

"Stop touching him." Harry warns, and his tone carries that deadly Alpha timbre. 

"He's my blood-"

"He's _my mate_." Harry takes a step forward, and thinks better of lashing out again. "Get out."

"When will he wake up?"

"It doesn't matter because I don't want you here when he does. _Get out._ "

"Fine." She stands and removes Louis' head from her lap. "I do hope, more than anything, that you treat him unlike the way you treat the rest of us."

Harry's inner Alpha knew that he needn't justify himself to that old whore, but the ruling portion of his judgment made him nod in consent because he knows he already treats Louis well.

Whether Momo was waiting for Harry to have a sort of epiphany and welcome her back into their midst. She doesn't get that and he telepathically slams the door shut behind her just to clarify his point. 

It's around ten that very same morning when Louis first showed signs of being roused from his extremely long rejuvenation slumber. Harry, of course, had been stuck to his side sharing a pillow and ensuring that Louis was okay in every respect. 

"Hey, sleepy head." Harry kept his voice low and sweet as he spoke in Louis' ear. 

Louis' first sounds were offensive as he groaned and tried to hide from Harry and the sunlight, but he didn't shuffle away when the older demon secured an arm over his back. 

"I missed you, little one." Harry knew Louis was awake enough to answer so he kept up the admirable words. "How do you feel?"

"Better." Louis' throat was dry and his words were croaking. 

"Water?" Harry brushed Louis' hair away from his eyes and kissed the corner of his mouth. 

He humbly woke up and got a tall glass of water for Louis, that the latter male gulped down as soon as the glass was pressed to his lips. He made a soft satisfied sound and accepted Harry's hand when it engulfed his. 

"Why am I wet?" Louis squirmed under the covers. 

Harry sniffed and regretted it immediately. He was so close to Louis' neck where no amount of stench could mask the sweet scent of their bond, that he once again failed to pick up on the faint smell of blood. 

"I'll take care of you. Lie still." Harry urged when Louis tried getting up. 

The boy cried out when all his weight was angled at his behind. Sitting was a no-go for a while until the throbbing, sensitive ache healed completely. 

"On your front, pup." Harry runs his hand along Louis' back and the curve of his bum. 

He helps Louis onto his stomach and kisses the boy's sweaty nape as a kind of dismal reward. It works because Louis keens under the touch and forgets about the pain that's slowly dying down. 

"Did you have any dreams?" Harry makes conversation as he flattens a towel under Louis' hips and places a pillow there as well. 

Louis turns his head to the side and smiles. "Some good, some bad."

"What were the bad ones about?" Harry peels off Louis' sleeping pants that were once again stained with blotches of deep red. 

"About.....before." Louis whines when he's exposed to the chill and cold of Alaskan air. "When you tried to save me."

"I didn't try hard enough." 

Harry spreads Louis' legs and swallows his animalistic instincts when a thin river of warm maroon temptation is revealed to him on Louis' inner thigh. 

"You did try." Louis insists, parting his knees as Harry asks. "I'm sorry."

Harry frowns as he uses a damp cloth to clean Louis' skin, leaving moist trails behind. He's forced to mind himself as he cleans, and not let himself lose it again although he impulsively licks his lips continuously. 

"What for, kitten?" Harry speaks up. 

Louis is suddenly tense and tries to get Harry to work faster. "If I was strong enough, maybe things wouldn't have ended this way."

"Ended?" Harry pulls up Louis' clean pants after positioning the pad correctly. "Derde sun, it was not your duty to be strong. It was- _is_ mine."

Louis whines when Harry snaps the waistband of his pants on after delaying and seems to be frowning at something inside his head. 

"Lou?" Harry wraps a protective arm around Louis' waist between the mattress and the boy. 

"Why was I wet?" Louis squirms like a fidgety child. 

"Stop moving so much." Harry sighs heavily and pulls Louis' leg up across his hips. 

"Harry." Louis whines, more irritable this time as he tries twisting his upper half to see what the dampness is. "What's happening to me-"

"Nothing, sweet. Nothing's happening to you." Harry assures him, hands pulling Louis' away from investigating anything. 

Louis' still disgruntled and wiggles against his mate's orders again. Now that he's human he's bound by much fewer Omega laws. 

"Am I......Harry, am I bleeding?" Louis' eyes redden and tears come to the surface as fear overlaps calm. 

Harry hauls the whole of Louis onto his chest and secures the boy's arms by holding it in his. "You are but-"

Louis' expression turns from surprised to mortified and scared in an instant, causing Harry's Alpha instincts to flare and roll them over so no part of his mate was vulnerable. 

"Shh." Harry mouths at Louis' ear when he starts to cry. "My little one, _please._ "

Louis only cries harder because the Gods are unfair and he's already dying at seventeen years of age when he's accomplished close to nothing. He only got two days with Harry, twenty hours of which he was knocked out cold. It wasn't fair and his heart was aching so he wept pitifully into Harry's chest. 

"Let me explain, Louis. Look at me, baby." Harry tilts Louis' chin up to sit on his torso. 

"Hmm?" 

Louis bites his dry lip and it sounds more like a whimper than acquiescence so Harry tightens his supporting arm and Louis' body arches off the bed slightly. 

"You're _perfect_ , okay?" Harry presses the ball of his palm so deeply into the mattress that he feels the protesting springs fight him. "You just.... _I_ just needed....I'm sorry, kitten."

"What?" Louis puts his hands on Harry's shoulders, a big clump of fear deflating to uncertainty now. "Alpha, tell me."

It's either Louis knew what words would make Harry speak and emit a soft growl in Louis' ear. It was a sound of regret and remorse, used by those Alphas who earned their mates' wrath or tears. 

"You had good dreams too, yes?" Harry searches Louis' electric blue eyes earnestly.

"Harry-"

"I need to know if you did."

There's was a sudden change in Louis' manner. The boy was less stiff and his cheeks heated up beautifully, leading Harry to believe that the dream was _exceptionally good_. 

"Tell me." Harry couldn't assume anymore. He didn't trust himself to make the right conclusion. 

"I-I.....We-" 

Louis tries to push away from his mate, to put some space between them but Harry only insistently rumbles and he's forced to bend his knee beside Harry's hip. 

_Out with it, Louis._

"Well, we had...children." Louis can't look at his mate as he says that. _Can't_ face the possibility that it's not at all making the Alpha as happy as it makes him. 

"We did?" Harry's bewildered tone gives Louis hope. 

"Yeah." Louis smiles cautiously, moving his hand from Harry's shoulder to the side of his face. 

"How many?"

"Um...I don't really remember."

"Were they.....like me?"

Louis chewed his bottom lip and ran his fingers through Harry's dark locks that ended in damp ringlets. "Don't think so."

Harry relaxed at hearing that, because now there stood a chance for his plan. It was possible. 

"How many do you want?" Harry lowered Louis to the bed again and hovered over him. 

"I didn't think about it. I didn't know you wanted children." 

"I do." Harry grins unashamedly, truly anxious to have mini versions of them running about. 

It wasn't about carrying on his demon lineage anymore, because his plan involved a great sacrifice of his. 

"How many?" Louis tilted his head on the pillow. 

"Lots and lots. As many as we can have." Harry nuzzles Louis' neck with a pleased, proud smirk on his face. 

"Harry, I can't-"

"You can." And that was Harry's mistake. 

He pulled away from Louis' neck-shoulder junction with a brilliant smile that fell tragically when he took in the expression of his Louis. 

"I can?" Louis didn't sound like a boy projecting hope, rather an orphan who just realised he belonged in a palace. 

Harry realises that he most undoubtedly should not have spoken up so soon.

"What do you mean I can?" Louis presses, finger buds digging into Harry's clavicle harmlessly. 

"You can bear children." Harry decides to take it in his stride and clears his throat. " _My_ children."

"Is that......Is that what happened to me? That was _you?_ "

"Little one, I didn't know it would hurt so much." Harry had to lie. He _had_ or risk a longer period of tension. 

"I....I-It was so _painful_ and _scary_ , Harry." Louis' voice rises in octaves and his bottom lip wobbles. "I couldn't wake up, Harry! I had to just _run_ from everything because I've never felt so helpless. _You- You....How could you?"_

_"I should have asked you, Lou. I know I was very wrong but.....-"_

_"But what?" Louis couldn't physically escape Harry's vicinity so he stayed put but laced every word with irritation and disappointment. "You said it was fine I couldn't have children."_

_Harry's suddenly not near him anymore, rather hunched by the billowing curtains and running his hands through his hair. The demon was in the middle of an internal war and he felt like just letting out a thunderous scream that the deepest pit of Hell would hear._

_"How do I fix this?" Harry asks calmly, not at all willing to start a quarrel with the one he cherished immensely._

_Louis propped himself up on his elbows, legs crossed in front of him and resembling the effortless pose of an experienced _Vogue_ model. "What were you thinking?"_

_"I wasn't-" Harry looks over his shoulders with a shrug. "-and now I will pay the price."_

_Louis' shoulders sag when he falls back on the mattress with a huff and his hand instinctively falls on his tummy. It feels the same outwardly, and slowly he starts tracing imaginary spirals on his shirt. The futuristic thoughts of being able to carry his Alpha's babies, where they'd be a little bit of Louis and Harry, brought a faint smile to his lips._

_"There's no price to pay." Louis sighs in defeat and extends an arm in a random direction._

_When he thinks Harry will take it in his gentle grasp, Louis instead has the demon climbing over him like on a prowl._

_"Eh sun durin." Harry nudges Louis' head aside so he may bury himself in the scented warmth his wonderful mate emitted._

_"I love you too."_

_Louis brings a hand up to comb through Harry's unruly hair as the demon relaxes above him, carefully lowering himself until Louis' legs were on either side of him and pressed into the bed with his weight._

_"Why didn't you tell me you wanted this?" Louis speaks after a while._

_"To be able to impregnate you?"_

_"Babies." Louis laughs. "Why didn't you tell me you wanted babies so badly?"_

_"I didn't know." Harry confesses, kissing the part of Louis' arm that's exposed to him when he turns his head to the side. "When the opportunity presented itself I......couldn't help myself."_

_Louis hummed as he considered Harry's answer and carried on rubbing circles into the demon's nape afterwards._

_"So the next time we.......-"_

_"Fuck?"_

_Louis lightly slaps Harry's arm and turns bright pink from embarrassment. "Don't say it like that."_

_"Why not?" Harry stupidly asks, nipping at Louis' throat to make him gasp._

_"Because you should make it sound lovely." Louis says, curling his leg around the back of Harry's so they're a mass of tangled limbs._

_"Next time." Harry pressed his lips to Louis' and his palm settled over Louis', very lightly pressing down._

_"Do you talk to people about our personal lives then?" Louis raises an eyebrow at Harry, the demon still greedy for a breathless kiss._

_"Of course not." Harry forces his tongue past Louis' lips and sneaks a hand around to squeeze his behind. "But demons pride themselves in showing off their mates to other demons._

_"We really don't need any bad wishes, Harry." Louis tugs on Harry's hair until the demon pulls away. "Especially if we're going to do this now."_

_"We aren't superstitious humans, Lou. There is nothing they can do to hurt you-" Harry kisses Louis' noise once. "-or our babies with me around. Even if I'm not.....a demon."_

_"What?"_

_"I plan to - for want of a better word - _resign_." Harry explains. "I can't run away with you to some farmhouse with these powers. They'll always look for me and-"_

_"Harry, I don't want you to do that." Louis shakes his head. "You were born a demon-"_

_"But I won't die a demon." Harry puts Louis' hands on either side of his head. "I've lived centuries and I've seen all that this universe has to offer. I want to die too, live and grow grey, with you and our children."_

_"Harry, no." Louis _does_ make an effort to push Harry off him this time. "You....You love what you are."_

_"But you deserve someone with real feelings, Lou."_

_"It's who you are outside and underneath, Hazza." Louis is caught between being upset and displeased, so he makes a confused whine that lights Harry's senses on fire. "I _won't_ let you do this to yourself."_

_"It won't hurt at all, Lou."_

_Harry gathers the boy's hands in his and holds it to his chest like he's worshipping the strings of coherency leaving Louis' lips._

_"I can't get you pregnant like this, as a demon. Nobody can carry a demon child, not even demons. I can't reverse your change either." Harry explains feebly._

_"No, Harry." Louis insists, a hint of something bright and fiery in his eye. "I will live with this without getting pregnant, but you are not giving up your blood-line. Not for any reason."_

_"You can't really stop me, little one. I'm the Alpha here."_

_"Don't be a child about this, Harry." Louis forces his hands away from Harry's. "You didn't tell me you were going to do this so your apology will be to stay just the way you are."_

_"I don't accept that." Harry's expression hardens and his fists clench in the fabric of Louis' shirt._

_"You don't have a choice. I like demon Hazza." Louis says, much more gentle and soothing with a voice like rain after a drought. "We can be together always."_

_"Always." Harry exhales through flared nostrils and presses their foreheads together._

_"No one needs to change." Louis whispers, eyes closed and sincerity dripping in his sentences._

_"Change is constant." Harry pushes down and tilts his head until Louis' lips are brushing his just the slightest._

_"That doesn't apply to us." Louis laughs and wraps his arms around Harry's broad shoulders. "Promise me."_

_"Promise you what?"_

_"That you won't do anything stupid."_

_Harry locks lips with Louis as a powerful distraction and breathes mouthfuls of his essence down the boy's throat. He concentrates on the kiss and groans with their mouths paired together forcefully._

_"Harry." Louis interrupts and Harry's lips try to find his again._

_Harry grunts, annoyed that Louis kept drawing further back everytime he tried to kiss him. "What?"_

_"Do you plan on doing anything stupid?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Harry!"_

_"Shut up and kiss me." Harry swoops in again but Louis covers his mouth with a small hand._

_"You promised."_

_"I did no such thing, and it won't be stupid."_

_"I'm serious."_

_"As am I." Harry grips the middle of Louis' back fiercely. "I want nothing more than you."_

_"You have no idea how I've missed you, how much I'll sacrifice for you-" Louis stretches up on his tiptoes until Harry picks him up elegantly. "-but I'll never allow you to be so irresponsible."_

_"I've been so uptight, Lou. I want to just live a mortal life."_

_Louis sighs. "Being a demon-"_

_"Is not what I want. It doesn't matter what I am but if you live a hundred years then I will live a hundred minus one."_

_Giggling, Louis shakes his head at the Alpha. "Swear on me."_

_"Absolutely not."_

_"So you do like being demon?"_

_"No."_

_"Then swear on me and say you don't want that anymore."_

_"I swear on everyday we've spent together and everyday we are looking forward to, that I _need_ to grow old and die with you."_

_"Can it even be done?"_

_"Yes it can." Harry's ears prick at the sound of nearing footsteps. "Your Momo is here."_

_"What?" Harry doesn't miss how Louis' eyes brighten._

_"Shh. Be still."_

_Louis does as asked and stay still while Harry leans closer, attaching his lips to his neck. He gasps and tightens his fingers in Harry's hair, when he feels sharp teeth graze his skin. There's a subtle pinch and Harry withdraws._

_"What did you do?" Louis touches his neck and he feels nothing different._

_"Gave you a mark." Harry answers simply. "It's my gift to you. If you ever need me and I'm not there, touch it and say my name."_

_"Har-" His bedroom door opening disrupts his speech and he watches Harry fade with the glowing sunlight._

_He wanted to ask Harry why the mark was necessary. He's always been there, even _before_ Harry was able to get to him without the need for a medium of communication. Maybe it's because Louis' human now and he's not as strong or supernatural. He's pain, fragile and impregnable. _

_"Good morning, Loubear!" Momo's greeting snaps him out his trance and he smiles at her with all the gumsion he can._

_"Good morning, Momo." Louis hugs her tightly and doesn't miss the way she hisses when kissing his cheek. "When did you get- What happened to your hand?!"_

__

  
* * * * *  


"You're here again." Lucifer glares at Harry. "Why?"

"I need you to look at me and not her breasts." Harry snaps, the silver slivers in his flickering eyes well illuminated in intimidation. 

Lucifer, ruler of all things forbidden and dark, growls at the girl in his lap and she scampers off as fast as her bare feet can carry. Her long raven hair flows around her like clothing and that's probably all she does have on. 

"Stop fucking twelve year olds." Harry helps himself to the tray of fruit on the greatest demon's chair. 

"It's not good for business?"

"I want to ask you something." Harry cuts off Lucifer's roaring laughter with stunted sternness. 

"I don't know."

"I didn't ask yet so shut up and listen." Harry snaps rudely and doesn't regret it. "I want to.......change."

Lucifer pauses, grape standing mid-air and frozen. "Change?"

" _Change._ Voluntarily, that is."

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can. You do it all the time."

"You're.....You're a Possessor, asshole. I can't just make you mortal for no reason. It takes time, energy, planning-"

"What do I have to do?"

"Does your little one know?"

"Yes. What do I have to do?"

"Commit a crime, son. A grand ol' crime of regal standards where I'll have to banish you."

"I don't have a lot of time."

"Why not? Oh wait." Satan sits upright and a shadow is cast across the room from floor to ceiling. "You did something fucking stupid, didn't you?"

"Louis is-"

"Pregnant."

"Not yet."

"You absolute fool!" Lucifer bellows. "He's _human_ and you gave him a Carrier's gift when you plan to keep him and the child?"

"I won't have sex with him until after I'm mortal. That way he won't have a demon child and can survive."

"I would advise you but that's not my thing so if Louis dies, that's not my fucking job to fix."

"Can I have my mortality now?"

"That rule still stands. You have to give me a reason to make you mortal."

"Like what?" 

"Your most important rule?"

"Yeah?"

"Break it."

"Our biggest rule is......-" Harry tries to think back quickly. 

"A mate, dammit. Always protect your mate."

"So I have to kill another demon's mate?" Harry steals another kiwi slice. "Done."

**_[A/N: Last update for a wittle while. Maybe Animal will be updated bc when my English papers and stuff come around there's no studying needed. So.....thoughtttssss?????!!! This chappie sucked unfortunately :( This story will be ending before Animal does :'( which is soon :'( and I'm going to miss Demon Harry so much. BUT to compensate I have decided to take on a.......rather strange idea. The Styles Triplets, for my next story o.O dear lord three Harry's. So...does anyone not like that? Lemme knowwwww - S xx]_ **


	30. Chapter 30

_One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel._

***LOUIS' POV***

I haven't seen Harry since this morning and I've been doing well with distracting myself from yearning after him. Who am I kidding really? Loving a demon is giving your heart to someone who now controls every aspect of you and each moment they make you crave their presence even when you think you want to be alone. 

"Lou, let's go see my friend Barb." Momo tells me over the dining room table after our brief but detailed discussion on a sitcom. "You know the one with the-"

"Dreamcatchers outside her door." I finish for her. "Sure."

"Where's your father? He needs to find a woman and Barb has a lovely daughter."

"Momo." I chuckle, tossing the last empty pea pod into a dish. "Dad will find someone in his own time."

"He's getting old." She follows me into the kitchen with the pea dish. "And what about your love life? We haven't ever spoken about that."

"There's nothing to say." _Lies._ I'm probably running around with the most fascinating love life in Alaska. 

"You're a terrible liar."

"I'm a great liar."

"What about that Mark guy? He was so nice when when I met him at dinner that one time."

"He cheated."

"Well, you can never judge a book by its cover. So nobody new?" 

I bite my lip, half hesitant and half unwilling. She didn't need to know about Harry yet. His silly plan to become like me will put him at less risk around here - with the town Elders being so nosy and old-fashioned - was probably underway. 

***NARRATOR'S POV***

It made Louis shift in his seat and await some burst of agony that he'd try and fail to conceal from those around him. 

"Lou?" 

"Huh? Sorry. I'm a bit distracted."

"I can see." She has that underlying tone to her words and Louis watches her drop the dish before leaving the kitchen, no further words said. 

They go to Barb's home an hour later with Louis driving his father's station wagon, taking every precaution so that it doesn't end up in shambles like that time they went hiking. 

"Momo!" Barb has her arms open and smile on full blast. "It's been so long, my ol' friend."

"It has. You remember Louis?" Momo returns with half the enthusiasm, nursing her hand carefully. 

"Of course." Louis gets a hug too and when her hands settle on his back he feels her stiffen and withdraw. "H-How are you, Louis my boy?"

"Fine, thank you." He smiles politely at the woman with silver blonde hair and wrinkles under her grey eyes. 

"Come in. Come, come." 

She stands aside and let's them through. When Louis passes her he swears he can hear her mumbling something under her breath. 

They sit around the coffee table on the plastic-covered sofas with lemonade in their hands and a jug more on the glass surface. Louis feels uncomfortable in this place, with the hairs on the back of his nape rising and his lip continually under the scrutiny of his sharp teeth. He rubs the condensation off the glass tumbler and it nearly slips out altogether once. 

"You okay, boy?" Barb asks him, judgment filling her gaze as she looked at him head to toe. 

"F-Fine." Louis tries to smile but it's queasy and conveying his feelings of unease. 

"Lou?" Momo puts her hand on his thigh. 

"I'm okay." He sounds more convincing this time. 

Barb's house had an obvious religious theme. Crucifixes hung on at least one wall in each room, vases with fresh flowers and rose beads tied around them. Louis himself wasn't negligent of God but being mated to demon was another story. 

"You must be dehydrated. Drink." Barb encourages Louis with a smile so bright and fake any child can see through it. 

Louis, out of principle and ethics, takes a sip of the beverage. It just burns his throat a little but then his chest begins to feel dry and bring up painful dry coughs, as his stomach churns. His palms feel twitchy and sweat profusely, even between his legs it starts to ache. 

"You okay?" Barb is at him again, the relentless woman. 

"Fine." He croaks and immediately regrets saying anything because Barb's eyes light up. 

"Ha!" She points to him. "You're unholy."

"He's gay, Barb. That's not unholy." Momo defends him, rubbing Louis' back as he dry heaves. 

"No, I mean that he is or has been in contact with _malignant entities._ "

"He's just allergic, Barb." Louis thanks his grandmother for the support but why was she trying so hard?

"Speak up, Louis."

"He can't. You poisoned my grandson, you superstitious cow."

"It's holy water. How _troubled_ is he that holy water is making him react this way?"

Louis was sick of this. The victimising and guilt parade, for his poor Momo to defend him while he choked and coughed to no end. He pressed his hand against his neck, where Harry said he'd given him a mark, and whispered softly. "Harry. Harry, my love."

Suddenly the room is still. Dead silence all around. There's no creaking of the porch swing, no rustle of the leaves. It's like every mass has fallen to silence, to submission. 

He feels Harry before he sees him, feels the demon's hand over his own and a cold press to his temple. Feeling safe again, Louis relaxes and confuses Barb entirely with his calm composure. 

Momo gasps when she sees the shadow, tall and dark against the doorway with no person to support it. It shifts and gets behind Barb's back, seemingly larger and more terrifying even though it's just a black silhouette. 

One word is whispered into the air and time itself freezes so that everyone in the room hear's Harry's voice. _"Morphis."_ (Death.)

Like a vacuum, everything is struck with life again and at the same time Barb crumbles with a piercing shriek. Louis feels hands over his ears, effectively blocking out the sound for him even though the hands aren't physically visible. 

Barb, in her cool cotton dress, rolls around the lounge carpet in a fit of screams. Momo doesn't know how to react and she starts to scream too, loud and annoying. 

"Come outside with me, derde sun." Harry's voice is in Louis' mind and he obliges without argument. 

Outside the shouts and terror is not audible though it should be. Harry materialises from the corner of the house and appears right in front of Louis with a concerned smile. 

"My little one-"

"I'm okay now." Louis reassures him, leaning into Harry's hand when he cups the side of his face. "Thank you for saving me."

"I'm your servant." Harry searches Louis' eyes, digging past the ocean blue into the depths of his heart. "I wasn't there. What did she do to you, my lovely boy?"

"She said I was unholy. She knew I was in contact with you."

"How?"

"Lemonade."

"Lemonade?"

"Lemonade."

"Derde sun, please explain."

"She gave me lemonade that had holy water in it."

"What happened then?"

"It felt like I was sitting on a fire. A concealed fire because it wasn't unbearable but it still hurt."

"Oh, my love. Part your lips and close your eyes." Harry supported both sides of Louis' face with his large hands. 

Louis obeyed and quickly shut his eyes, separating his lips and waiting for Harry's next move. He felt lips against him, real this time and not the ghost of them, before cold air blew down his throat and the embers of the fire died down instantly. 

"Everywhere I touched you." Harry tilts Louis' chin up and kisses his eyelids so they'll open. "Everywhere I touched you will burn if such a thing happens again."

The news sobers Louis' train of thought and he nods understandingly. 

"You must not call me for the next hour." Harry brushes Louis' hair away from his eyes and kisses the corner of his mouth. 

"Why?" Louis held on to Harry's wrists. 

"When we meet again, my only-" Harry rests his forehead against Louis'. "-I will be mortal."

  
* * * * *  


"Why must you go?" Erica's muffled complaints are pressed to her pillow. 

"You want me to stay?" James trails his hand down her bare back, nudging the comforter further down her hips little by little. 

"I want you to stay." She turns her head and her hazel eyes meet his dark brown orbs that glowed like yellow slits that should be hideous but endeared her. "Stay for me."

"I want to." He throws an arm over her back and connects their lips. "I want to be with you forever."

"We will be." She bumps their noses together. "You aren't getting rid of me, buster."

Chuckling at his mate's humour, he brings the duvet back up to cover her shoulders. "Stay warm. Eat lots."

"I love you." She clutched the sheet to her chest as she leaned up for her kiss. 

"You ought to-" He delivers a light slap to the bump in the sheets where her bum is concealed. "-because I love you too."

"Come back quickly." She releases his neck with a giggle. 

"Sleep now, pumpkin." 

"Pumpkin." She scoffs. 

"Would you like another vegetable?" James tugs on his jeans and vest. "Egg plant, perhaps?"

"Gem squash."

"Would you like gem squash?"

"I would." Her eyes sparkly at the prospect. "Butter and all."

"Of course. No less for you. Bye now, sweetheart."

"I don't like saying goodbye to you."

"Nor do I but we know we'll be seeing each other soon so don't fret."

"I know."

  
* * * * *  


Harry waited perched on the house's roof until the demon half of the couple left. He didn't know James but he knew that this pair was the newest courtship so he wouldn't be causing too much damage. He was able to mask his scent from James or else have himself detected and attacked - he would have won but he really isn't looking for a fight today - by the girl's demon mate. 

When he was certain James was too far away, he drew a circle around the house with his mind and bound the house to keep any demon besides himself out. It also kept Erica in, prisoner to the invisible barrier surrounding her now. 

He entered through the bedroom window and landed with a muted thump. Erica stirred on the bed but Harry knew she was fast asleep already. He also knows that her and James' latest intimate session was lacking a condom which meant if he didn't act quickly now he'd be killing an innocent baby too. 

With those thoughts and nothing else, he turned back into a shadow and went to straddle her back on the bed. The sheets don't shift and she won't feel him until she needs to move and simply won't be able to. Harry opens his mouth and reveals a claw sharper than any on a mortal creature from his right index finger. 

_"Morphis."_

Except this time when she's about to awaken and realise that her body's dying one organ at a time, he pokes the claw through the back of the neck so it goes all the way through. It pierces the pillow she's lying on, forcing her to stay still through her convulsing. 

She doesn't even get to see him before Harry's pulling back altogether and vanishing.

  
* * * * *  


"You _bastard!_ " 

James is held back by two other demons and Harry can't help but roll his eyes at the amateur. No amount of demons could hold _him_ back. 

"Do you want me to rot in Hell?" Harry zips across the grand heated hall, appearing in front of James with a hand around his throat. "Already did that."

"Enough!" 

He, the ultimate demon and specimen of evil-doers, enters the room. Lucifer takes a seat on his throne that changes everyday and drums his nails on the armrest. 

"You got balls, Possessor." Is the first thing he says to Harry. "I imagine you felt some remorse?"

Harry merely shrugs and releases James. 

"You didn't?"

Harry says nothing, arms crossed over his chest and his wings lax against his back. 

"Wow." Lucifer looks at James next. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Fuck-" James starts but receives a blow to his stomach that shuts him up. 

"Alright, alright. Stop hurting him." 

Harry watches James sag to the ground and stare at his hands, shaking with grief. 

"I know you've been looking forward to this, Possessor Harry." Lucifer looks back at the other powerful demon in the room. 

Harry straightens his back and waits. 

"Your punishment is banishment. You will be stripped of any power, ability, feature you have that is associated with our world."

This catches Harry's attention and he nods, biting his lip now in anticipation. 

"That is not all."

_What?_

"Your spite has cost you something else."

"You said punishment is not enforced here. This is treachery."

"No." Satan narrows his gaze. "Look at him."

Harry doesn't flinch. 

"Look!" 

Relenting, Harry cranes his neck and looks at James sobbing on the ground helplessly. 

"You are mated too. The loss of your mate would make you so much worse, wouldn't it?"

Harry couldn't deny it. Losing his Louis would mean the end of his life, his existence. He frowns, not understanding what at all he's being told. 

"And finally-" Lucifer smirks for this one. "-all that you accomplished as a demon and Possessor will be forgotten."

Just like that, Harry's wings turn to ash and he feels his powers being stripped away like a thorn from cotton wool. He clutches his chest and gasps, falling to his knees when the pain doesn't subside. Eventually, he's not staring at the red hot tile of Hell but freezing snow. 

He falls onto the soft blanket of melting snow for a moment, feeling cold for the first time in his life and grinning madly because of it. He looks around him, where he's lying in the meadow where he and Louis reunited and fixed their bond. He knows how to get out of here, and he has to do it with the minimal clothing he has on. 

Biting his lip at the cold that whips around his, turning his lips blue and creating goosebumps, he follows a trail down to regular ground level. He spots the town he knows Louis lives past, into the only suburb around. 

It takes in twenty minutes of walking to finally reach Louis' house and he hasn't even noticed that it's almost nightfall. He sees the living room light on and can hear happy chatter inside, the first sound that's warming up his insides. 

He walks up to the door and knocks on it three times. In his mind he reaches twelve seconds before someone answers the door. Momo. 

"Is Louis here?" He smirks at her, proud of what he's done and he knows she knows too. 

Soundlessly the woman returns to the innards of the home and calls for Harry's desired boy. Another thirteen seconds pass before Louis shows up at the door, smiling. 

"Lou." 

Harry's so happy to see Louis, speak to him with this new tongue. His excitement causes him to lean forward and envelope Louis in a tight embrace. The boy smells exactly the same. 

"Hi-" Louis tries to speak but Harry just hugs him tighter. 

"I did it." 

"I'm sorry." Louis is frowning - which Harry doesn't understand - and takes at least three steps back with a slightly afraid look in his eye. "But do I _know_ you?"

**_[A/N: Woops. Sorry I took so long to update! :'( So...what about this cliffhanger? - S xx]_ **


	31. Chapter 31

**_[A/N: Wattpad's being a little peach right now so I'm gonna keep using HTML codes even if it doesn't actually do anything. ANNOUNCEMENT - This is the SECOND LAST chapter of Demon Begging :( On the side (or above now bc of the new layout) is the cover to my new upcoming story that is Alpha/Omega with the Styles Triplets and Louis. Hope you to see you sticking around :) x]_ **

**"I'm sorry." Louis is frowning - which Harry doesn't understand - and takes at least three steps back with a slightly afraid look in his eye. "But do I _know_ you?"**

***NARRATOR'S POV***

Harry's world stops revolving and the blood he's just begun to pump freezes in their passages. He stares at Louis who stares back for just a minute before glancing over his shoulder and stepping outside. He closes the door behind him. 

"Sorry." He runs his hands down his jeans. "Dad was spying on me and I am _not_ in the mood to-"

Out of relief and a whirlwind of emotions, he grabs Louis and pulls him into a bone-crushing embrace. He kisses Louis' forehead, making the boy giggle, and then his lips so the magical sound is swallowed by his own mouth. 

"I died a million deaths in the matter of sixty seconds." Harry cups the sides of Louis' face and kisses him again, so giddy about feeling the warmth that's shared between them. 

"Dad's never met you, mind you." 

Louis fists the front of Harry's flimsy shirt, pulling him closer so their lips meld together just like they should. 

"He'll be interrogating us before we walk through the-" Louis shrieks and covers his mouth when Harry lifts him off the ground to be spun around. 

"I love you so much." Harry puts a hand on Louis' bum to keep him elevated and the other on the side of Louis' face. "We finally have forever together."

"Maybe a day or two shorter." Louis laughs with his head thrown back and Harry's mouth on his neck. 

"I need a place to stay now." Harry frowns. "Do you have any hotels?"

"We have a motel and the house next door is for sale."

"I'll take that then."

"Do you have that kind of money?" 

"I told you I've been preparing for this for a very long time."

"Clever."

"That's settled then." He smirks, lips seeking out Louis' again as they stand as a single unit on the front porch. "You've been eating apples."

"I have." Louis wraps his arms around Harry's neck. "You can't have any."

"I've got something better than apples." Harry's right eyelid drops in a wink and Louis gasps. 

"Let's go inside. It's cold out here." 

It takes all of Harry to remember that he can't regulate his body temperature anymore. "What's our story?"

"You're a friend from school." Louis shrugs. 

Harry raises his eyebrow. "That's hardly believable."

"You met me in a supermart?"

"I don't shop."

"How can you not if you own the house next door?"

"I just moved into town."

"Dad's gonna think you're a paedophile."

"I've seen and tasted every inch of your lovely body already, Lou."

"My father can't know that!" Louis' cheeks heat up and redden from his blush, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

"I moved into town and you dropped my basket so you invited me to dinner."

"Really?" Louis puts his hands on his hips. "Dad knows I'd never do that."

"Then how about I go purchase the house next door and you go back inside? I'll come back later."

"No." Louis immediately protests. "I hate being away from you."

"I know, kitten." Harry nuzzles Louis' neck, nibbling on his ear and making the boy gasp. "But give me an hour."

Louis shakes his head and presses his finger buds into Harry's shoulders. He just got Harry back and it always seems like they're letting go. Louis won't have that so he hugs him harder. 

"Precious baby, come on. I will come back to you." Harry pulls Louis' face out of his neck and kisses his warm lips sweetly. "Don't I always?"

"But I miss you." Every moment Louis spends apart from Harry - demon or not - leaves him as a mess. 

"I will be back here before you go to bed."

"Promise me?"

"I give you my word." With each syllable of that sentence Harry kissed a different fingertip. 

"If you aren't?"

"Then I will lay myself at your feet for punishment."

  
* * * * *  


The only thing Louis focusses on while he dishes out his supper is whether or not Harry's going to keep his promise. It's been fifty minutes and he's already beginning to become withdrawn. 

"Can you bring me a glass of water, Lou?" Momo asks from the living room where they're all having dinner. 

"Sure." 

He sits on the single sofa with his plate and tries very hard not to just pick at his food like a bird. Momo's got her eyes on him, he can feel them on him. Louis' dad is blissfully ignorant but there's a new shimmer in his eye. 

"What's up, Dad?" Louis asks from across the coffee table. "You have that super bowl look again."

The super bowl look is an expression of pure contentment and a boyish bounce his father gets around that sports season. 

"He met someone." Momo says smugly. 

"Why do you two always assume that?" Chris defends himself meekly. 

"Are we wrong?"

He says nothing as he chews on his steak. 

"Dad!" Louis gasps. 

"Okay, okay." The man chuckles after swallowing. "Her name's Caroline and she teaches at Louis' school."

"You mean Ms. Flack?" Louis' eyes could pop right out of their sockets. "Ew, Dad!"

"She's not ew." 

"How long have you been pining over my Biology teacher?"

"It's not pining."

Louis and Momo exchange a look. 

"What?"

The doorbell rings. 

"It's not!" Christopher shouts over his shoulder as he goes to answer the door with a grin on his face. 

"Hello." The attractive stranger greets, hands locked behind his back. "My name's Harry and I just moved in next door."

Louis hears that from the kitchen and he chokes on the soda he was drinking straight from the can. He leans over the sink coughing, unable to hear the conversation between Harry and his father. 

"Lou! Momo!" Christopher calls. "Come meet the new neighbour."

Momo groans but rises from the sofa anyway to go greet the new acquaintance. Supposedly new. Louis already knew the new neighbour, but he follows closely behind her as if actually nervous about this meeting. Momo pushes him ahead and panics when Louis trips on his own feet. He goes barelling forward and lands face-first on the rug. 

"You okay, Lou?" His father asks but there's another hand on his arm, pulling him up. 

"Fine." Louis smiles at him and out of instinct leans into Harry's touch. 

Harry's wearing black jeans and a printed black T-shirt supporting a dolphin project that clings to his muscles and makes him appear more burly. He's smirking at Louis' surprised look but the slight concern still lingers in the back. 

"Are you okay?" Louis feels like this is a first meeting and he can't look away from how Harry's lips form words. Were they always so plump? He'd like to feel them please. 

He nods. As lame as he feels about not being able to form words himself, a nod is all he can manage. 

Harry's frowning at him, having turned into the overprotective Alpha he always was. Louis even sees something pass through his eyes, like a fleeting red light amongst blackness. 

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Momo speaks up. Of course she doesn't recognise Harry and her broken wrist is no longer his fault. 

"I'd love to." The charmer is back and Louis wonders if he had attended finishing school in the past hour. 

They all go back into the house and Louis runs into the kitchen where his food has gotten cold. He knows there's another steak left over so Harry can have that. He just doesn't trust himself with a stove right now so he'll have to deal with a microwaved steak. 

"I was told to come help you." That smooth voice comes from behind his back. 

Louis spins around with a plate gripped between his hands, sees Harry standing a few feet away and his heart picks up again. "W-Why?" 

"Because you're probably going to break all the dishes." Harry rounds the counter's corner and takes the piece of china away from Louis. "What's with all the nerves, kitten?"

"Meeting the p-parents." Louis peers up into Harry's wonderfully familiar eyes. "Well, my dad and Momo."

"I think I've done well enough already." Harry glances over his shoulder before bending to connect their lips. 

Louis' head tilts up and he puts a small hand on the side of Harry's face, guiding Harry's arm to wrap around him. He parts his lips and let's Harry's taste invade his senses. His fingers lock in Harry's hair and he keeps him as close as possible. 

"Someone's coming." For some reason, Harry is still able to detect another presence. 

He pulls away, leaving Louis cold and longing against the kitchen counter. Louis frowns but turns around to pretend he was busy this whole time again, sliding a steak onto a plate. 

"How's it going in here?" Louis' dad leans against the doorway. He probably didn't hear any crashes or conversation and got suspicious. 

"Good." Louis nods with a persuasive smile, leaning against the microwave door as it heated up the steak. "Harry just told me he won a yodelling contest when he was thirteen."

"Did he?" Chris regards Harry with an amused but impressed look. 

Harry looks at Louis with a deeply meaningful expression, conveying revenge and mock annoyance in one glance, before turning towards Chris. "I won by default."

They get the dining room table set and everyone takes a seat. Harry's across Louis and Momo is next to him with Chris at the head of the table. 

"So why did you move here, Harry?" Louis' dad asks when he notices matching smiles on the new neighbour's face and his son. 

"I hate the city." Harry feels Louis' ankle lock around his, socks on leather boots. 

"Then you got the right place. Our town's the smallest around."

Harry smiles and he looks positively captivating with a dimmed light above his head. "How long have you been living here?"

"Since Louis was born so that's plus or minus thirty years." 

"Dad!" Louis looks outraged. 

Everyone around the table laughs at Louis' flustered but irritated expression. Harry stares a bit too long at the frustrated kitten look Louis has and eventually their eyes meet over the soda bottle. Louis looks away first. 

"Seventeen years." Chris picked up on the interaction and felt the need to intervene. Harry is too old for Louis. 

"And are you Louis' aunt?" Harry looks at Momo next to him. 

"Grandmother and don't waste flattery on me, boy." She laughs. "We don't want Louis getting jealous."

Louis' caught off guard once again and he chokes on the water he's just swallowed. Harry changes into a very concerned mode and finds himself kneeling beside Louis' chair a moment later. 

"Are you okay?" He whispers, rubbing Louis' back. 

"I'm fine." Louis nods, trying to push Harry away because two other sets of eyes are on them. "Really."

Harry isn't very patient and he reluctantly gets up from the floor to return to his seat. He frowns at the slow manner that his legs move.

"Lou?" Chris looks at his son, greatly concerned when the boy gets up and rushes into the kitchen. 

"I'll check on him." Harry starts to get up. 

"No." Chris immediately stops him. "Momo, please?"

The older woman gets up, slightly slow because of a new headache blossoming, and follows Louis. 

"What work do you do, Harry?" Chris tries to erase the peeved look on Harry's face but this man shouldn't be so attached to his son already. 

Harry glares at him, unable to help himself. He closes his eyes, shaking his head and rubbing his temples because it feels like he's burning inside. 

"Harry?" 

"I'm um...-" Harry swallows hard and looks up. "I'm the head chef at an Italian restaurant on Block Street."

"Oh. I think we know it."

Harry nods and looks at the kitchen. He can smell something odd in the air but Chris isn't reacting so it's probably just his body feeling off. He bites his lip. 

"May I use your bathroom?" He asks brusquely. 

"Sure. Upstairs and first door on the left."

Harry wakes up and steps around the table in a hurry, waiting to be out of Chris' sight. He passes the kitchen doorway and slips inside before he's noticed. The kitchen's empty and he frowns at that before making his way out and upstairs since he's supposed to be using the bathroom. 

Louis turns up at the dining table twelve minutes later with a fresh long-sleeved shirt and Momo following closely behind. "Where's Harry?"

For even the newest of onlookers, there was no doubting that a connection was formed between Louis and the new neighbour. Momo was excited but Chris had reservations. 

"Bathroom." Chris answers, setting his water down. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Louis shrugs and yawns. "Water went down the wrong pipe and I had to use my inhaler."

His father nods slowly. "You haven't met Harry before, have you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you two seem very.....familiar."

Playing it down by a mile and praying the sweat developing under his skin doesn't show, Louis answers. "Nope."

"Good because he seems shady to me."

"Shady?" Louis forces a ridiculous chuckle. "In what way?"

"I like him." Momo adds. 

"So do I."

Chris raises an eyebrow at his son, half frowning and half concerned. 

"I-I mean.....you know."

"Harry's a gentleman." Momo saves him again. 

"Yeah."

Dismissing the topic for later discussion, Chris gets up to put his dishes in the sink. Louis and Momo exchange a helpless glance just as heavy footsteps begin the descend the staircase. 

"Go!" Momo mouths at him, her eyes darting towards the staircase as she stands and takes his dishes. 

Louis gets up and unnecessarily neatens his shirt before going into the hallway that leads to the stairs. Harry just reached the base and looks more than a little disgruntled. 

"What's wrong?" Louis wants to reach out and touch him but from his peripheral he sees his dad watching them. 

"Headache." Harry looks up from Louis' socks to his eyes and forces a smile. 

"Do you need anything?"

Harry shakes his head. "I'll be fine. I should...I should go now."

Louis' face falls. "O-Okay."

"I want to hold you right now." Harry's thankfully turned in a way that keeps Louis' dad from seeing what he says. "Stay up tonight and wait for me."

"I will." Louis immediately agrees.

"Goodnight." Harry smiles, that same glint from earlier finding its way into his gaze, and leans in to kiss Louis' cheek. 

"Night." Louis feels the very slight dampness of Harry's lips on his jaw and the fluttering of butterflies in his tummy. 

"Don't forget that I love you."

Louis can't say it back because his father's downright glowering at Harry's back and it kills him because Harry deserves to hear it from him. He can only brush the taller male's cheek with his thumb and walk him to the door. 

That night the house is tense for the first time. Louis' dad goes to his room early and Momo helps clean up the table. By ten o'clock Louis' knackered and dashes up to his room to unlatch the window and have a shower. The dogs are sleeping with Momo tonight and he's finally grateful for their relationship. 

Louis just finishes brushing his teeth before warm breath from a foreign source brushes his neck. He closes his eyes when arms secure themselves around his middle and soft lips pepper kisses along his throat. His hand comes up to knot into those very familiar curls that are wet and clinging to his skin now. 

"This body is mine." Harry puts one hand flat on Louis' tummy and the other roaming his sides. 

"How are you feeling?" Louis turns around in his arms. 

"Better." Harry doesn't elaborate on the fact that he had to cut his face from temple to jaw for the pressure of his headache to be released. Or that the scar disappeared without taking time to heal. 

"I love you." Louis stretches up and brands the words into Harry's forehead with his lips. 

They stumble into Louis' bedroom, dripping wet and pawing at each other seconds later. Harry locks the door before rejoining Louis on the bed, immediately sucking bruises in his neck and slipping a hand between his thighs. Louis' body spasms and he gasps, desperately grabbing at Harry's hand to encourage him. 

Louis obediently waits for Harry to lube up his fingers and rub around his puckered rim, whining low in his throat when Harry delayed. He threw his head back against the pillows and moaned loudly into Harry's mouth when two fingers entered him slowly. They wriggled about, stretching him well enough before just pumping in and out. Harry kept their lips joined, slotted together perfectly as he made Louis come apart on his fingers. 

The man above him took his time positioning himself against Louis' hole, the muscle red and fluttering in anticipation. Harry used lotion from the dresser to make the entrance easier and Louis giggled when he made a comment about the lavender scent adding to the atmosphere. 

Louis' hands fisted the sheets, tugged on Harry's hair or pushed against the headboard when Harry started to move. First in figure eights that almost had Louis passing out with a slackened jaw and breathless noises escaping, then pulling out until just the head was caught inside and slamming back in. Louis couldn't scream so he sucked on Harry's bottom lip or tongue as his body was used, pushed back and forth. 

Harry's hips pivoted ruthlessly against his, tightening his muscles and grunting into his ear. Louis felt like he was being torn but he just wanted it harder, faster. He pulled on his own length for a few minutes before he came between their flushed stomachs. He fell back against the mattress and groaned at the sensitivity developing in his nether regions. 

Gracefully he pushed Harry onto his back and climbed on top of him, smaller hands pinning Harry's to the bed and thighs bracketing Harry's hips. He leaned down to connect their lips and slowly rolled his hips, feeling the burn of Harry's size inside his tight body and moaning. He continues until Harry is grabbing at his hips and directing him to bounce on him.   
The bed creaked and they probably should have cared a lot about the noise they were making but Harry didn't care and Louis knew he could trust Harry. So when Harry finally came inside Louis, neither one was expecting it to feel like murder. 

"Ow." Louis flinches because it's a dull pinch at first. 

"Kitten?" Harry sits up against the headboard, chest still moving in pants as he takes in Louis' frown. 

"Ow." Louis repeats, louder this time as he pushes down on Harry's abdomen so he can pull out. 

There's a tug on his insides and very grave stretch within him but Louis can't extract himself. He tries again but it starts to feel like a blazing fire and he wants to scream. 

"Harry!" Louis' eyes widen with panic and the pain. "Harry, what's happening to me?"

He wishes he knew but this shouldn't be happening. Harry lays Louis down and kisses his sweating forehead before sitting up. He can feel himself in Louis' lower tummy and he can feel the heat being generated. 

"Fuck!" He mutters before looking up at Louis. "I need you to be quiet, okay love?"

"Harry-" Louis whimpers because his insides are burning and he feels like he's about to die. 

"Shh now. I love you, we're okay. Hold my hand." 

Harry grabs the base of his length, flinching because he knows this is going to hurt a lot for them both. He feels Louis' fingers tighten incredibly between his and kisses him hard. Carefully, he pulls out with such caution and a slow method that Louis starts to scream. There's nothing to keep it in and Harry doesn't try to smother the shrieking because he knows how much this hurts. 

The lights outside are flickering and someone is hammering on Louis' door but neither occupant responds. Harry glances down between them, first at Louis where the boy is red and stretched considerably. He's leaking come that's not even white in colour and Harry tries not to think about that. He needs to clean him up but first he looks at himself. His length is flaccid and swollen, still dribbling come from the slit but that's not what he takes note of first. 

It's two-pronged again. 

Like a boomerang or elastic strap that snaps back into place after being pulled taut for too long, Harry feels everything crack within him. His back arches and his skin ripples to form the muscle again that he once had, it rips apart on his shoulder blades to grow his wings again. The black blood rolls off him onto Louis and his talons rip the sheets. 

Too much energy was used up for his reversed transformation and Harry collapses onto Louis. He falls into his human form but his wings are fanned out over their naked bodies. 

"What's happening?" Louis is troubled but he won't deny any affection to the - now once again - demon. "What happened?"

He can only think of one thing. "It didn't work."

"What didn't work, Harry?"

"I can't be human." Harry's black eyes stay trained on the door but his hands are rubbing Louis' hips. "I'm so sorry."


	32. Our Pledge To The Nights We Spend Together (Epilogue)

**_[A/N: It's that time of the year again :'( when we say goodbye to a Larry fic :'( Please do comment to tell me what's running through your minds and what you think. Here you go, the Epilogue.]_ **

_I'm a fool for the shake in your thighs. I'm a fool for the pitch of your sighs._

***NARRATOR'S POV***

"You _fucking bastard_." Harry burst through the double doors, hot wooden debris spraying everyone and cutting skin. 

The two girls on Lucifer's lap scream when chips graze their skin enough to leave blood trickling out. Harry glares at them, hating that they're even present, with bold black eyes against pearly white skin. Moving swiftly, Harry grabs them both by their hair and flings them across the room. 

"Those were my toys." The biggest man in the room doesn't make a move to help them but he's suddenly in Harry's face. "Don't touch my toys."

Harry looks like he swallows souls and they unintentionally took his away, leaving any beauty within him to dwindle. "You fucking lied to me."

"Shame on me." 

"I killed James' mate for nothing."

"He was useless anyway." Lucifer huffs at the lack of grapes in his tray. "Died yesterday."

It doesn't faze Harry. "Give me my mortality."

"Can't do that, friend." 

"The fuck you can't!" Harry's fists curl tightly so that the skin at his knuckles tear to make the bone visible. 

"I did nothing to you, Possessor Harry. If you...relapsed then that's your own thing."

"Why would I relapse?"

"Because you're too powerful. You're a creature of Hell and you can bet your flat arse you're going to stay here."

"I won't stay." Harry spits venomously. "I'm going back."

"Feel free. Your babies shall be Possessors too."

"What?"

"I can smell your Little One on you-" Lucifer scrunches his nose theatrically. "-but not as I've smelt him once before. He's with child. Your child."

Well of course it's Harry's child. Harry is at a loss for words as he falls to his knees on the ground. His knuckles heal and he screams into his palms. 

"You don't want children?" Lucifer frowns at Harry's condition. "Isn't that why you did this?"

"They'll be....demons."

"True." Lucifer tosses a grape at Harry, who turns it to ash in the air. "But they won't have a true form because they're half human."

  
* * * * *  


"I'm pregnant." Is the first thing Louis tells Harry two weeks later. 

Harry hadn't fessed up to his mate when he first came to know of the pregnancy, because he wanted Louis to experience it. Having a demon's baby won't hurt in the slightest until he actually had to give birth. 

"I know." Harry pulls him into a hug. "I'm going to fix this."

"No." Louis shakes his head against Harry's solid chest. "I want this baby."

"You can't have him. Lou, it's too dangerous."

"It's just a baby." Louis pulls back to put Harry's human hand on his tummy. "I know you can feel 'em."

Harry could. It was his unnatural bunch of senses that enabled him to sense his baby's movements and it made him proud. He made a decision right then. 

"We're leaving." Harry says firmly. 

"What?"

"We're leaving this town." Harry repeats. "Tonight."

Louis spent that afternoon packing up his room while Harry put the house next door back up for sale. He wasn't allowed to tell his Dad or Momo anything, and that's why he cried for hours in the shower. When Chris came home, Louis tackled him with a long hug before running upstairs wordlessly. 

"We have to go now." Harry appeared through his window that night looking solemn. 

"I know." Louis stepped closer, feeling the regret and hurt of today wash away as he touched Harry's cheek. "I love you."

Harry smiled and picked Louis up by his thighs, maintaining eye contact as they stood in the perfect angle for moonlight to reflect off them. The demon nuzzled Louis' warm neck, felt the bite mark that has returned since his transformation and hardened his resolve. They needed to do this. 

"I'm sorry." Harry kissed Louis' neck. "This is your family."

"I've known you longer, haven't I?" Louis presses their foreheads together. "There's no space in my heart for anyone but you."

Closing his eyes and encircling Louis' middle very delicately with his tail, Harry fell back through the window in a dive before fanning out his wings. They needed to be far away before Harry dropped a spell on the town that made every person forget they were ever there. 

"Where are we going?" Louis hadn't moved his face from Harry's neck. 

"To our own world."

  
* * * * *  


Their new home was the cleanest, neatest and simplest farmhouse on a mountain too high to be attempted by any climbers. Harry ensured that there was always food in the house and even let Louis talk him into getting animals. 

"It'll be therapeutic." Louis argued. "Some horses and-"

"Alright, little one." Harry would give Louis everything he wanted. "Rest now."

"I'm not tired." Louis was being carried to their bedroom and he wriggled relentlessly. 

Harry didn't listen and laid him down on their bed with a kiss to his forehead. Louis fell asleep minutes later. 

Louis never complained all throughout the pregnancy. He woke up without nausea and slept without a single craving. There was no swelling, no back aches and no other forms of discomfort. He even joked about wanting to always be pregnant, but that just made Harry very tense and angry. 

"It's a demon." Harry was between Louis' legs having his daily conversation with the thirty week foetus in Louis' tummy. 

"She." Louis corrected him. 

Harry's wings were lazily thrown over the back of the couch and the other brushed the floor as the sharp claws cradled Louis' bloated tummy. The demon felt very strongly for the unborn child and wanted very much to meet her, but he sat everyday filled with troubles as he imagined Louis bringing her into the world. 

"I'll be fine." Louis answered his thoughts, his dainty palms on Harry's shoulders. "I know you'll take care of me."

Harry intended to see Louis' labour through himself because he felt like anyone else knows half as much as him, so it might as well be him. He nudged Louis' tummy with his cheek rested atop, listening to the movements of their daughter. 

"What's she doing?" Louis was partly envious of Harry's ability to feel their baby now. 

"Getting ready to kick." Just as he finished a soft flutter was felt under his wing's arm. He grinned and kissed the taut skin. "Good girl."

"She's strong." Louis sat up and watched Harry move closer. 

"Of course she is." Harry smiles up at him. "My strong baby girl."

  
* * * * *  


_Night of October 10th..._

"Harry?" Louis opened their front door, knowing that no danger has ever lurked around their secluded abode. 

The demon had promised that he'd be back after a hunting trip of an hour. It was really close to Louis' labour date and the boy was scared, not wanting to be far away from Harry at any given time. 

"Haz?" Louis pulled the bulky sweater he's donning closer to his skin to keep his body warmth up. 

There's a low groan coming from the area to his left. Louis cautiously follows the path around the corner of their home, past the horses' stables to the back where nothing but mud and muck from Bella the cow was. 

"Love?" Louis calls into the cold air. 

He spots Harry crouching by the back wall, fallen on his knees and in his true form. His eyes were bright, yellow and slitted, but everything else was hidden and haunted by darkness. Louis walks to him and brushes Harry's hair back as he sits carefully. 

"Hey there." Louis tries to get Harry's attention. 

Harry glances at him, yellow glowing orbs landing on his face then settling on his tummy. The corner of his mouth twitched before Harry had him pinned, his back pressed down into the dirt and hands held at his sides. 

"Look into my eyes-" Harry whispered. "-and you won't feel any pain."

Louis didn't know what he meant but something sharp was being pressed to his tummy and he screamed, kicking it away and fighting Harry's grasp. 

"Enough, Louis!" Harry's teeth sunk into Louis' bond mark to still him. "All will be well. Trust me."

On October 11th, at 01h02 in the morning, little Erica Jaide Styles was born. 

Harry had Louis under a hypnotic state of numbness all through the induced labour. He used his hand to reach into his womb through an incision, to pull the infant out. It was the least painful way and how demon babies were born from human Carriers all the time. It was a supernatural way and Harry spent hours of his days thinking through every birthing possibility before deciding on this one. 

Since it was a week early, their daughter wasn't at her full strength and couldn't harm Louis that way. If she tried, she'd have her father to go through because he was a demon and knew how to calm her down.   
Louis was put to bed immediately after, because his body had been tired out and he couldn't keep his eyes open. He was too exhausted to convey his excitement and relief at actually surviving the birth. 

Harry knew he had himself to thank for keeping Louis alive and he's grateful that he didn't try anything stupid earlier in the pregnancy that could have cost them the squealing life in his arms now. He sat next to Louis, holding their baby who had yet to open her eyes. 

"I'm so happy to finally meet you." Harry kissed her clean forehead. 

She was human on the outside, with alabaster skin and baby hairs. But her temperature jumped erratically and she had black eyes when they were revealed. She blinked up at Harry and black turned to silver slits. He couldn't help but smile back and reveal his own yellow slitted eyes, making her yawn because she couldn't smile. 

He set her down between them, one hand on her chest and he felt her breathing all through the night. Louis shifted towards them even in his sleep, making Harry grin and hold him close.

  
* * * * *  


"No one's ever survived having a demon baby." Lucifer blinks rapidly at Harry. "How did Louis?"

Harry had to bring Erica - his little girl - to this horrible place because she was still carrying demon's genes and Lucifer would love to meet her. 

"He's strong." Harry answered, picking Erica up off his right hip and hiding her with his wing around her. 

"Hmm." Lucifer hummed disbelievingly. "You did it yourself?"

"Yes."

"You were always precise." Lucifer still had his eyes on Erica who was folding her chubby hands around the claw at Harry's wing's tip. "You did well. She is an excellent specimen of our kind."

Harry felt this meeting was over and nodded before turning around to leave, this not being the last time he'll be in this room. 

"Wait a moment." Lucifer stands himself and appears in front of the door, true form flaring and standing at an equal height to Harry. "I have something for the baby."

Moving his wing just a little, Harry watched Erica blink up at Lucifer with wide black eyes. She was gifted a little pendant that she held tightly in her fist. 

"For the first of her kind." Satan smiled. "I can tell she will do you proud."

Harry knew that too and he left before anything more could be said to stop him. The pendant was a personal one belonging to Lucifer himself, with the words of a very successful demon engraved into a metal head. It glowed when anything but a demon touched it. 

"Where's my baby?" Louis had recovered over the span of three days from giving birth and now rushed to the edge of their fence when Harry appeared. 

"She's fine." Harry chuckled, kissing Louis' temple and setting his wings on his back. 

"My baby girl must be hungry." Louis takes the infant, instantly excited when she sees Louis, and hugs her. "Come inside. It's cold."

Erica grew up at a regular pace and turned one when Louis turned nineteen. He never approached the topic of his ageing because he was too occupied with the blabbering toddler to really care. Their daughter had just learnt to walk and because of her strength as a demon, wanted to keep trying all the time. 

Harry sat in front of the fire place and Louis at the foot of the couch, just two feet away and Erica walking between them. 

"I'm so proud of you." Harry brushes Erica's feathery hair aside and kisses her nose. The girl smiles brightly at her father's approval, her eyes flashing silver and his yellow. 

"I feel quite excluded when you two decide to do that." Louis says softly. 

"Oh love." Harry sends Erica crawling back to him over the soft baby blanket. "It's the one thing we share when you and her have every other experience."

"Oh well I guess that's true." Louis cooes at the baby girl when she stops moving so she can cuddle up to him instead. "Are you tired now, girlie?"

She giggles when he tickles her sides and stands up. Harry follows him to put her to bed but she just starts to cry and accidentally tears Louis' shirt. 

"Alright then, love. You can sleep with us." Louis loves his daughter with all his heart and would do anything at all to keep her happy. 

"Let me." Harry holds his arms out. He was the stricter parent of the two and since he was a lot more like her, she tended to listen. 

"Harry, it's fine." 

"Shh." Harry presses his lips to Louis' and takes the baby from him. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Don't scare her." Louis warns. 

When he's gone, Harry sits on the cushioned chair with Erica on his lap. He doesn't hide his true form from her ever and she quite likes when Father and her just spend time prattling on about his very different body. 

"You must be gentle with Louis, okay?" He holds his hand up and she presses her tiny fists against it with a concentrated frown. "He's not as strong as us."

His daughter looks up at him like she completely understands. Maybe she does, because thoroughbred demon babies are speaking full sentences by this time.

"Erica?" He brushes her pink cheek. "Do you understand, love?"

She blinks and starts crawling up his chest with the express intent of being closer. He sighs and stands up, supporting her wavering mass, as he walks into the master bedroom. 

"Is she asleep?" 

Louis takes the youngest in the room into his arms and she stops fussing from the transaction once her baby ears are settled against his heart beat. 

"Hello there." Louis takes his daughter's hand and kisses it. She ends up grabbing his lip with no more than baby strength. 

"I'm staying up with her tonight." Harry tells him, pulling Louis onto his lap. "She isn't tiring out anytime soon."

"Okay." Louis tries handing her over but Erica's more than latched herself onto him. "Sweetheart, you have to go your father now."

She just starts to whine and as a demon, uses all her strength to keep her daddy close. She liked cuddling with him even when he's asleep and she has to be up with her father. 

"Erica." Harry uses the tone he uses to tell her she's misbehaving. Louis hasn't had any decent amount of sleep recently and with Erica holding him he'll never be able to. 

"It's okay." Louis shields his daughter, combing through her hair and kissing her cheek. When the baby girl sniffles with watery eyes and starts crawling towards Harry, Louis' world crumbles. "I can hold her, Haz."

"You need your sleep. You've hardly gotten any." Harry sets their daughter on his chest where she fidgets to prove a point to him that she'd much rather be with the softer parent. 

"I'm fine." Louis lays on his side and smiles at how Erica is playing with Harry's shirt. 

He always puts up a strong front for his baby but sometimes he was just tired, having to keep up with two immortals, and his facade crashes. The tiredness shows in his eyes and the stress has made his body weak. 

"Thank you." Louis kisses Harry's lips. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well." Harry goes on brushing Louis' cheekbone with the pad of his thumb to make the boy fall asleep. 

Erica watches her dad too, innocent smile on her face as he fell asleep so close to Father. He admired her parents' bond and their love so much because it was so innocent all the time, until of course Father got what Daddy calls 'handsy' and moves away. She's still learning about that. 

"Sweet Erica." Harry takes her little hand and playfully nibbles on her fingertips so she'll giggle. 

Louis stirs in his sleep as a result of the sound and Harry puts his finger to the little girl's lips. 

"Shh." He shakes his head at her, smiling when his daughter puts her hand on his mouth. 

Harry makes sure Louis' asleep again before either of them move again. Erica is just as quiet, the glittering silver streaks in her eyes working to impress Father. She hopes to be like him one day, strong and protective of someone. Maybe a sibling? She really hopes so. 

"Why won't you sleep?" Harry asks her softly, thumbing the loose locks of hair as she lies on her front on his chest. 

Erica doesn't have much of a voice yet because she's more smarts than instinct. She knows if she says something, her daddy will want to be there for it. If she says something he'll be disappointed and even though she's demon - and she knows it - she always wants Lou to be proud. 

"Look at him." Harry takes Erica's little hand and puts it on Louis' neck where his pulse beats strongly. "He's the most beautiful creature to exist to even next to the most divine supreme creatures."

Erica agrees. Her daddy is the most beautiful thing she's ever seen, even Father's very intriguing true form with the wings and sharp teeth! Her wondrous eyes fall like mirrors on her daddy and is drawn towards him by the steady rhythm of his heart, the sweetness of his scent. 

"No, dear Erica." Harry retracts her grabby hand. "Daddy needs to sleep."

She starts to whine and squirm like she's demanding the all encompassing presence of her sweeter parent. Louis made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, makes her want to sleep instead of stay up with Father. 

"Erica." Harry has to get off the bed and leave the room as he rocks the fussy toddler. "You know your daddy needs his sleep."

She won't speak but fat hot tears start to roll down her chubby red cheeks as she reaches for the door even though it's not close enough. Harry sighs and tries to comfort his wailing daughter who seems to only want comfort from her daddy. 

"Daddy needs sleep, my little one." 

Harry walks down the hallway into the living room where she just screams louder because now there's more distance between her and her daddy. 

"I call your daddy that sometimes too." He melts into his true form and she calms down to a soft sob. "He's one of the two most important things in the world to me."

She begins to sniffle and grip the ends of Harry's wings tightly, wanting to know more about these structures. He flexes them for her and she smiles, he stretches each one out to their full height and she starts to giggle. This excites her so much. 

"Are you putting on a show without me?" Comes the most entrancing voice in the house. 

Harry turns around, wings lowered so they're folded neatly and smiles at Louis. "I had to take her away."

"My baby girl." Louis takes her from Harry and Erica willingly leaps into Louis' arms. She's very happy that daddy is awake now. 

"You should have slept, Lou." Harry doesn't approve of Louis waking up to see to her when Harry could. 

"My baby was crying and I couldn't bear to hear her." Louis rubs Erica's back as she rests her head on his shoulder and nuzzles his neck. 

"Tomorrow I'm taking her somewhere." Harry watches how Louis hums to keep Erica quiet. "So you are spending the day in bed."

"Is it so wrong that my daughter loves me so much?" Louis goes for teasing but the bags under his eyes and developing worry lines say another thing. 

"I'm serious, Lou." Harry admonishes. "Promise me you'll do nothing but relax tomorrow?"

"You have my word, Alpha." Louis stretches up on his toes to kiss Harry square on his lips. "Come to bed."

"I don't sleep."

"I know." Louis giggles. "But I enjoy your company."

Harry accompanies Louis to bed and doesn't bother separating him from their sleeping daughter on his chest. Erica's asleep with Louis' shirt in her baby fists and fresh, sleepy pout on her lips. Harry kisses her forehead then Louis' lips for a bit longer before turning on his side. 

In the morning Erica puts up more than her regular fuss when Harry's the one to wake her up and feed her breakfast. She loves Father a lot but daddy's the one to always do that. What does this mean?

"We're going to spend some time out today." Harry tells her, seating her in her high chair and setting about warming a bottle for her. 

Erica knew there was an ulterior motive but she too saw how Daddy looked tired last night and if he's tired he won't play with her, so Daddy can have his day off. Just this one time.   
She eats her mashed bananas and drinks her formula without any protestations, but starts to whimper with big eyes when Harry grabs her coat without letting her say goodbye to Daddy. 

"Demons don't pout, Erica." Harry scolds her but it's lighthearted. "Do you want to say bye to Lou?"

She looks longingly at the hallway and Harry relents, carrying her to their bedroom. He didn't intend to wake Louis up but the boy was already awake having just come out of the bathroom. Erica brightens at the sight of her Daddy and reaches for him immediately. 

"Hey there, big girl." Louis beams up from his cross-legged position on the bed. "How are you, bunny?"

She makes a gurgling noise with little spit bubbles from her mouth that Louis wipes up. 

"We're going out." Harry sits by Louis' ankles and kisses his cheek. "Rest today, remember?"

"I remember." Louis rests his head on Harry's shoulder. "I'll miss you."

"You'll be asleep." Harry turns his head for a kiss. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Where are you taking her?" Erica is mouthing at Louis' neck as she makes soft humming noises. Daddy's skin is very soft and warm, unlike Father's which is always hard and slightly damp. 

"The small down by the sea." Harry answers. "We can bring you back some shells."

"That sounds good." Louis begins to pull his daughter away from his neck but only ends up hissing at a painful pinch at his throat. "Ow."

"Lou?"

Erica bit him, right on the pulse point above Harry's mating bite. It healed over but remained a scar because she was still demon and his own baby laying claim. 

"She bit you." Harry looks appalled. "Oh Lou, I'm so sorry-"

"Hey. She kinda has the right." Louis shrugs, giving Erica over to Harry. "Didn't hurt compared to yours."

Erica used to bite lots of things but never her parents. Her feeding bottles, plastic spoons, toys and even their animals. She was fascinated by the extra sharpness in her teeth and would often try them out. 

"Erica Jaide." Harry makes sure his yellow glowing orbs are trained on his daughter. "You know you're not supposed to do that."

"It's fine, Haz." Louis puts a hand on Harry's shoulder. "She won't do it again."

"Da!" Comes a breathless call from their daughter who clenches and unclenches her fist at Louis. 

"What?" Louis looks at her shocked. 

"Dada!" She's grinning brilliantly, knowing how much this impresses her parents. 

Louis gasps and Harry's mouth curves into a smile, previous dilemma forgotten. "My baby girl said her first word. I'm so proud."

Erica feels she deserves a reward and gets a nice warm cuddle from Louis in cover it. She giggles when he tickles her, bursts into laughter when he blows raspberries in her tummy. 

"I'm so proud of you, my little darling." Harry lays on his front next to Erica, his finger caught in her fist. 

"Fff-" She tries to pronounce Father but her baby tongue isn't helping form the word. "Abba."

Louis is thoroughly excited and can't stop smiling down at his bundle of joy. She detects his mood and reaches up to pat Louis' cheek. 

"So clever." Louis kisses her hand. "You're so smart, baby girl."

"Dada?" She blinks at him. 

"That's me." Louis feels Harry's arm slide around his back. "And who is this?"

"Fff-" She tries but can't seem to get it right. "Ff-"

"Alright, little Erica." Harry chuckles. "You've done so well. I'm so proud."

Father was proud and that means the world to Erica. "Baby."

"Hmm?" Louis feels like this is the most intelligent conversation he's ever had. 

"Baby!" She wriggles around until she's standing, supported by Louis' hands on her back and waist. Erica might be a strong demon but she still needs her Daddy very much!

"Yes, baby." Louis kisses her little tummy. "You're the baby, doll."

She shakes her head and looks at Harry, black eyes focusing on him. "Want baby."

Harry goes stiff but holds Louis just as close, feeling the boy's sudden happiness fade away. 

"No. No, baby." Louis shakes his head. "Just you."

"Dada!" Her bottom lip, small and wet with spit already, starts to wobble and her tears make her eyes shiny. 

Sighing, Harry gathers the weeping baby girl in his arms and tries to soothe her. "Erica?"

"Baby." She whimpers. 

"Daddy can't have another baby, doll." He feels her shrink in his arms. "Are you lonely?"

"Want baby." 

The topic is further approached when Louis goes into the closet to fetch some warm clothing for Erica, while the mischievous one herself plays with one of Harry's rings on their bed. 

"We're not having another baby." Harry has been ready for this argument and now he gets to voice his reasons. 

Louis turns to look at him, sighing tiredly and shrugging. "But Harry, Erica will get lonely."

"Erica is one year old." Harry looks up from the floor where he's hunched over. "She will have us for the rest of her life."

"I know you want another baby too." Louis walks up to him and wraps his arms around Harry's middle, seeking warmth and comfort. 

"You survived Erica but Louis, you know I didn't know what I was doing. It was just the Alpha in me that had to make certain you survived." He welcomes Louis into his arms and inhales deeply. "And Erica is more human because she was conceived when I was mainly mortal too. If we try now, the baby will be all demon and you'd never....fuck I can't think about that."

"Shh. Hey, Hazza?" Louis secures the sides of Louis' face. "We won't have another baby. I don't want to lose you before I've gotten my full time with you."

"I love you." Harry squeezes Louis in an embrace. "I love you so much."

"I know. I love you too."

"Tonight-" The demon rubs Louis' back leisurely. "-I will put Erica to bed and then the night belongs to us."

Louis smiles coyly, blush forming on his cheeks as Harry noses at his jaw. "That sounds perfect."

  
* * * * *  


Harry took Erica to the shoreline where the water flowed onto cold pebbles and the wind was very chilly. She was thrilled to be somewhere new and looked around over Harry's shoulder at everything that moved. 

"Abba!" She shouted pointing to something glossy amongst the stones at their feet. 

"Yes, lovely?" Harry followed her line of vision. "Want to take it back for Daddy?"

He crouches by the wet shell and let's her pick it up, adding it to his breast pocket with all the others. Erica hums under her breath, like an adult, to a tune Louis used with her constantly. She spots a sea gull and giggles when it takes flight. She remembers that Abba has wings and she wants her own too. 

"Cold?" Harry sits her on his hip, pulling the hood of her jacket over her head. 

She kisses his cheek as a thank you. 

"Let's take some food home for Daddy, yeah?" Harry suggests. "You can choose."

Erica knew the responsibility that came with such a decision so she sticks with something she's seen Daddy eat before. Schwarmas. She's got lots of calcium and her teeth make eating meat with Father very convenient. 

Harry orders two chicken schwarmas from the vendor that they've eaten from before and gets a chip twister for his impatient daughter. 

"Abba!" She whines, put on full blast - Harry notes how much she resembles Louis when she does that. 

"Yes, little girl?" He sits on a bench while the food's being made and rips off a piece of fried potato. 

She sniffles, eyeing the food going her father's mouth until Harry feels like a terrible parent and feeds her some. Normal babies can't go near something like this, but Erica's the most advanced one year old there's ever been. She chews the offering and smiles when Harry kisses her forehead. 

"Let's go home to Daddy." It's been a long day for the baby and it looks like they'll have another one of those rare nights where she sleeps. 

They walk in the front door at 16h00 and the house still smells of Louis, just sweet Louis and Harry's mouth waters. He's hell-bent on putting Erica to sleep right now. 

"Lou?" Harry calls and gets a muffled response from somewhere. "Where are you, love?"

"Kitchen!" Louis says more clearly. "Like you couldn't find me."

Harry chuckles when he gets closer to his precious mate, kissing his soft lips for as long as he pleases. "Erica brought you something."

"Did she?" Louis raises an eyebrow at the little girl who squeals and reaches for him. "What'd you bring me, sweet pea?"

She reveals the necklace they had made at the market using the shells they'd collected. Louis entertains the baby girl while Harry heats up the food and puts them into plates. 

"It's beautiful. Thank you so much." He kisses her cheek so she'll giggle. "Now, I had a shower and that means you need one too."

"I'll do it." Harry hands Louis his food and takes Erica back. The poor girl is already yawning and closing her eyes. 

"Alright." He rubs Erica's back and kisses her forehead. "Goodnight."

Twenty minutes later Harry returns, smelling like talcum powder and sighing without air into his true form so every muscle of his can stretch easily. 

"How was your day?" He asks, sitting on the couch and putting Louis' feet on his lap. 

"Lazy but amazing." Louis finishes his food and climbs onto Harry's lap. "Thank you for taking her."

Harry smiles, lips pressed to Louis' neck as he holds their chests flush against each others' and his hands roam this familiar body. He drops Louis onto the couch and hovers over him, making the boy giggle with the determination in his eyes. 

"We haven't been this way for so long." Harry removes Louis' faded joggers and gets between his legs. 

"I know." Louis offers himself up by raising his hips. "I've missed you."

Harry takes Louis slowly, whispering little sweet words into his ear as the boy mewled and sharing gentle kisses. Something dislodged slides into place with Louis clenching so warm and tight around him, their sweaty skin sliding like masterpieces against the other's. Harry has to control himself at his end and makes sure that he's shooting blanks when he comes - demons have the ability to choose when they wish to impregnate their mates. 

"Thank you, Lou." Harry rolls over so Louis is on his chest, still locked with his knot. 

"I'm your mate." Louis whispers back, kissing his neck. "My body is yours to have and my heart is yours to own."

Harry feels that foreign warmth seep into his chest from Louis' words. "Derde sun, you are the light of my life."

"Half." Louis corrects, biting Harry's bottom lip when they kiss. "Erica is your baby."

"I've known you longer." Harry chuckles. "I love that rascal so much."

"I know. She's a terror sometimes."

"Thank you for giving her to me." Harry keeps Louis' naked body warm his his temperature. "For giving yourself to me. Thank you for loving me and being the most important thing in any world to me."

Louis smiles softly, stretching up to kiss Harry's jaw and corner of his mouth. "Thank you for taking care of me when I broke my legs."


End file.
